Synthesis of benzoazole ionic liquids and evaluation of their antimicrobial activity

A new class of chemicals composed not of molecules but ions, an organic cation and an organic or inorganic anion, has recently attracted attention. When these new kind of salts are in the liquid state below 100 oC, they are named ionic liquids (ILs). In this work, the synthesis of ionic liquids obtained from a 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole or 2-mercaptobenzothiazole anion and 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium or choline cation are described. The antimicrobial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and a yeast was also evaluated.