Imidazolium room-temperature ionic liquids with alkoxymethyl substituent: A quest for improved microbiological selectivity

Developing of novel, sustainable, and cost-effective antimicrobial substances is a global challenge. Our study on new bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide salts has led to environmentally benign pathways process room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) with alkoxymethyl substituent. The (containing small number steps), carried out under mild conditions easily available substrates, produced high yield (>97%) excellent purity the final product (>0.99969). prepared are insoluble in water but soluble most organic solvents (except DMF, diethyl ether hexane). Their solubilities do not depend carbon atoms hydrophobic chain or temperature (in range 25–50 °C). properties synthesised RTILs strongly correlated length alkyl chain, interestingly, their strength dependent microbial strain. salt longest group—1-dodecyloxymethyl-3-ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide—shows strong selective antibacterial particularly against Staphylococcus spp., comparable higher that benzalkonium chloride. Moreover, compound dodecyloxymethyl moiety does cause haemolysis destabilises artificial Gram-positive bacteria membrane. Due its antiadhesive effect, investigated imidazolium liquid functional group due effect potential as disinfectant short-term eradicator adherent cells biofilm highly increasing antibiotic resistance toward spp. best applicative from an economic point view among all RTILs.