Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of some quaternary morpholinium chlorides.

The synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 31 morpholinium chlorides, divided into five series depending on the substituents attached to the nitrogen atom, N-carboxyalkyl-morpholinium chlorides (1a-e), N-carbalkoxymethyl-N-methyl-morpholinium chlorides (2a-f), N-carbethoxymethyl-N-alkyl-morpholinium chlorides (3a-g), N-carbalkoxymethyl-N-dodecyl-morpholinium chlorides (4a-f) and N-carboxymethyl-N-alkyl-morpholinium chlorides (5a-g) is reported. The compounds investigated were tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Trichophyton menthagrophytes. The most active are compounds with a long N-alkyl group and with the substituent CH2COOC(n)H(2n-1) (n = 8-16).