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3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-one-Based Cationic Surfactants: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Antimicrobial Activity
Salahudheen Vp1,2, Jamsheera Anjudikkal1, Ajmal Koya Pulikkal1
1Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Mizoram, Chaltlang, Aizawl 796012, India.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|July 27, 2026
Summary
New 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-one (DHPM)-based cationic surfactants exhibit enhanced surface activity and antimicrobial properties with increased hydrophobicity. Their self-assembly and effectiveness against microbes were thoroughly investigated.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Green Chemistry
Background:
- 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-one (DHPM) derivatives are versatile scaffolds with potential applications in various fields.
- Cationic surfactants play crucial roles in areas like drug delivery, emulsification, and antimicrobial formulations.
- Green synthetic methodologies are increasingly important for sustainable chemical production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize novel DHPM-based cationic surfactants with varying alkyl chain lengths (8, 12, and 16 carbons) using a green multicomponent reaction.
- To comprehensively characterize the self-assembly behavior, surface activity, and physicochemical properties of these novel surfactants.
- To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized DHPM-based surfactants against a panel of pathogenic microbes.
Main Methods:
- Green multicomponent synthesis of DHPM-based cationic surfactants.
- Characterization using conductometry, tensiometry, and fluorimetry to study self-assembly and surface activity.
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fluorescence quenching for micellar properties and aggregation.
- Molecular docking to investigate interactions with bacterial cell wall components.
Main Results:
- Synthesized DHPM-based surfactants demonstrated increasing surface activity with longer hydrophobic alkyl chains, indicated by reduced critical micelle concentration (CMC).
- Emulsion stability and interfacial tension were significantly influenced by hydrophobic chain length.
- DLS and TEM revealed an inverse correlation between Z-average and surfactant hydrophobicity.
- Antimicrobial evaluations showed varying potency against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi, with molecular docking providing insights into mechanisms of action.
Conclusions:
- DHPM-based cationic surfactants exhibit tunable surface activity and self-assembly properties based on alkyl chain length.
- These surfactants show promising antimicrobial efficacy, suggesting potential applications in disinfection and therapeutic formulations.
- The green synthesis approach offers a sustainable route for producing functional DHPM-based surfactants.
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