Isobaric vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for ethanol-water systems containing ionic liquids (ILs) 1-methyl-3-methylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([MMIM][DMP]), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate ([EMIM][DEP]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([BMIM][Br]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM][Cl]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) at atmospheric pressure (101.32 kPa) were measured with a circulation still. The results showed that the VLE of ethanol-water systems in the presence of different ILs was obviously different from that of the IL-free system. All ILs studied showed a salting-out effect, which gave rise to a change of the relative volatility of ethanol, and even to an elimination of the azeotropic point. It was found that the salting-out effect followed the order of [BMIM][Cl] > [BMIM][Br] > [BMIM][PF6] and [MMIM][DMP] > [EMIM][DEP], which was ascribed to the preferential solvation ability of the ions resulting from the dissociation of the IL. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.