New antibacterial agents are urgently required to fight the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We recently synthesized the first thioimidazolium ionene, which has antibacterial properties and can degrade in various media. This dual functionality is crucial in order to limit the environmental impact of these biocides. We have found that our polymer is stronger than benzalkonium chloride (BAC) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and also readily degrades in the presence of base, while remaining stable in acidic environments. These results highlight a new emerging class of antibacterial degradable polymers.
A collection of thioimidazolium salts were synthesized and used as a new class of nonvolatile alkylating agents. Their nonvolatility prevents exposure during use or handling and are thus drastically safer than conventional alkylating agents. We discovered that thioimidazolium iodide salts cannot release volatile compounds in the solid state, but instead only decompose when molten. Since decomposition proceeds via alkyl iodide elimination, S N 2 of iodide on the thioimidazolium cation is constrained in the solid state, and instead can occur only upon melting when ions are mobile. By smart design of these alkylators, the melting point and thus the decomposition temperature of these salts can be increased from 106 to 169 °C and release negligible volatile organic compounds prior to melting. Thioimidazolium-bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) ionic liquids act as a completely nonvolatile and air-stable TFSI-based alkylating agent and can be used for high-throughput synthesis of TFSI ionic liquids without solvent. Alkyl groups from methyl to dodecyl can be transferred to a nucleophile and the product purified by sublimation of the thione byproduct, which can then be recycled. We also found that thioimidazolium salts with a dodecyl chain are bactericidal, yet can hydrolyze in water to form benign neutral products, and thus wont accumulate in the environment. These results demonstrate that thioimidazolium salts are a designable platform for the pursuit of safer and more environmentally friendly alkylating and antiseptic agents.
Alkylating reagents based on thioimidazolium ionic liquids were synthesized and the influence of the anion on the alkylation reaction mechanism explored in detail using both experimental and computational methods. Thioimidazolium cations transfer alkyl substituents to nucleophiles, however the reaction rate was highly dependent on anion identity, demonstrating that the anion is not innocent in the mechanism. Detailed analysis of the computationally‐derived potential energy surfaces associated with possible mechanisms indicated that this dependence arises from a combination of anion induced electronic, steric and coordinating effects, with highly nucleophilic anions catalyzing a 2‐step process while highly non‐nucleophilic, delocalized anions favor a 1‐step reaction. This work also confirms the presence of ion‐pairs and aggregates in solution thus supporting anion‐induced control over the reaction rate and mechanism. These findings provide new insight into an old reaction allowing for better design of cationic alkylators in synthesis, gene expression, polymer science, and protein chemistry applications.
A series of readily regenerable thioimidazolium-based ionic liquids, which can transfer alkyl groups to nucleophiles, are immobilized on crosslinked polystyrene beads. Different alkyl groups can be loaded onto the resin, highlighting the tunability of the material. The efficiency of these materials is demonstrated by their screening against a series of nucleophiles, showing a particular preference for thiols. Finally, these materials were evaluated for use under continuous flow conditions. The flexibility, ease of use, safety, and recyclability of these alkylating resins shows promise for their use in large scale and automated applications.
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