Ionic liquid-supported chiral saldach with tunable hydrogen bonding: synthesis,metalation with Fe(III) and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility

New water-soluble methylimidazolium ionic liquids (MIILs) bearing N,N′-bis-(salicylidene)-R,R-1,2-diaminocyclohexane (saldach) scaffold, H₂(R¹)₂saldach(2-MeIm⁺X⁻)₂ (4a: R¹=H, X=Cl^–; 4b: R¹=H, X=PF₆^–; 4c: R¹=H, X=BF₄^–; 4d: R¹=ⁱPr, X=Cl^–; 4e: R¹=ⁱPr, X=PF₆^–; 4f: R¹=ⁱPr, X=BF₄^–), and their Fe(III) complexes have been synthesized and structurally characterized as well as their profile of antimicrobial susceptibility was identified. The new saldach-supported MIILs demonstrated a distinctly enhanced biocidal effect toward methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli (MDREC). Compound 4d is the most potent antibacterial agent and could inhibit the growth of all micro-organisms, except A. flavus, more effectively than standard antibiotics.