Preparation and antimicrobial activity of some new bisquaternary ammonium salts

A series of new bisquaternary ammonium dibromides of the type N,N'-bis(decyldimethyl)-alpha, omega-alkanediammonium dibromides and N,N'-bis(4-aryloxybutyldimethyl)-1,6-hexane diammonium dibromides has been prepared and screened for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. In the first group of compounds the connecting alkyl chain had 2 to 6, 8, 10 and 12 carbon atoms, in the second one in the 4-aryloxybutyl linkage the aryl was phenyl, p-methylphenyl, p-tert-butylphenyl-p-chlorophenyl-1-naphthyl and 2-naphthyl. The effect on the antimicrobial activity of the length of the hydrocarbon chain linking the two nitrogen atoms and the effect of replacing the long alkyl chain with substituted or unsubstituted 4-aryloxybutyl groups was studied.