An efficient preparation and characterization of 1-(2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl)imidazolium based ionic liquids derivatives as potential bioactive agents

A set of new 1-(2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl)imidazolium-based ionic liquids (1–16) have been prepared via the alkylation reaction of ethyl 2-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)acetate with various type of substituted alkyl halides using a microwave irradiation reaction in yields above 90%. The chemical structures of the manufactured ILs (1–16) were analyzed by mass and NMR spectroscopy. The newly prepared ILs were examined for their in vitro anti-microbial activities towards different types of Gram (+) and Gram (−) bacteria, and also for their antifungal activities. The preliminary tests showed that most of the resultant ILs presented modest activities towards S. aureus and B. subtilis with IZ values ranging between 10 and 14 mm, while the E. coli activities was in the range of 16 and 20 mm. However, ILs (1–16) displayed poor activities against the C. albicans.