This application relates to the use of phosphonium-based ionic liquids as recyclable solvents for solution phase chemistry. The ionic liquids may be used, for example, as solvents for reactions involving Grignard reagents, hydridic reagents, metallic and non-metallic reducing agents, and strong bases, including nucleophilic carbenes and Wittig reagents. In one embodiment the invention may comprise homogeneous mixtures of strong bases/nucleophiles/reducing agents and tetrahydrocarbylphosphonium salt ionic liquids. The invention also relates to chemical processes that may proceed in either minimally flammable solvent, or a complete absence of flammable solvent, including systems containing strong reducing agents such as alkali and alkaline metals or metal and non-metal hydrides. Methods for generating anions and nucleophililic carbenes (imidazol-2-ylidenes) (and complexes derived from them) in phosphonium-based ionic liquids are also described. The invention demonstrates the feasibility of using phosphonium-based ionic liquids as a reliable reaction media for a wide variety of basic reagents. The problems associated with C--H activation in imidazolium-based ionic liquids by highly reactive bases are not observed for phosphonium-based ionic liquids.