title: Self-aggregation and antimicrobial activity of imidazolium and pyridinium based ionic liquids in aqueous solution.
abstract: Two series of long-chain imidazolium and pyridinium based ionic liquids (1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium and 1-alkylpyridinium bromides) were synthesised and the effect of the alkyl chain length and the nature of the cationic head group on micellization and antimicrobial activity of the ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated. Tensiometry, conductometry, spectrofluorimetry and PGSE-NMR were applied to study the self-aggregation of the amphiphilic ILs in aqueous solution. The ILs investigated displayed surface activity and the characteristic chain length dependence of the micellization process of surfactants. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. ILs containing more than eight carbon atoms in the alkyl chain showed antimicrobial activity. Their efficiency as antimicrobial agents increased with the hydrophobicity of the amphiphilic cation being the C(14) homologous the most active compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Surfactant Technology, Institut de Quimica Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC), CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cornellas
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comelles
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ribosa
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manresa
authors.forename: M Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001965:Bromides / Q000737:chemistry; D002412:Cations; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001965:Bromides; D002412:Cations; D007093:Imidazoles; D052578:Ionic Liquids; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water