Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Carboxylate Phosphabetaines Derivatives with Alkyl Chains of Various Lengths

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of fifteen novel nanosized alkyl esters of carboxylate phosphabetaine:β-(carboxyalkyl)ethyltriphenylphosphonium bromides4–8,β-(carboxyalkyl)-β-methylethyltriphenylphosphonium bromides9–13, andβ-(carboxyalkyl)-α-methylethyltriphenylphosphonium bromides14–18. The in vitro microbiological activity of the synthesized phosphonium bromides against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and the yeastCandida albicanswas determined in comparison to standard agents. Microbiological results indicate that the synthesized phosphonium salts4–18possess a broad spectrum of activity against the tested microorganisms. Every newly synthesized compound was characterized by elemental analyses, IR,1H NMR, and31P NMR spectral studies.