Development of novel technologies for the efficient and reversible capture of CO₂ is highly desired. In the last decade, CO₂ capture using ionic liquids has attracted intensive attention from both academia and industry, and has been recognized as a very promising technology. Recently, a new approach has been developed for highly efficient capture of CO₂ by site-containing ionic liquids through chemical interaction. This perspective review focuses on the recent advances in the chemical absorption of CO₂ using site-containing ionic liquids, such as amino-based ionic liquids, azolate ionic liquids, phenolate ionic liquids, dual-functionalized ionic liquids, pyridine-containing ionic liquids and so on. Other site-containing liquid absorbents such as amine-based solutions, switchable solvents, and functionalized ionic liquid–amine blends are also investigated. Strategies have been discussed for how to activate the existent reactive sites and develop novel reactive sites by physical and chemical methods to enhance CO₂ absorption capacity and reduce absorption enthalpy. The carbon capture mechanisms of these site-containing liquid absorbents are also presented. Particular attention has been paid to the latest progress in CO₂ capture in multiple-site interactions by amino-free anion-functionalized ionic liquids. In the last section, future directions and prospects for carbon capture by site-containing ionic liquids are outlined.

Two kinds of dual functionalized ionic liquids with ether-functionalized cations and tetrazolate anions were designed, prepared, and used for SO₂ capture, which exhibit an extremely high SO₂ capacity and excellent reversibility through a combination of chemical and physical absorption.