Novel 2-methylimidazolium salts: Synthesis, characterization, molecular docking, and carbonic anhydrase and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties

In this work, structures of different imidazolium compounds were designed and synthesized. These compounds were synthesized from 2-methylimidazole and alkyl/aryl halides. Their structures were characterized by using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR spectroscopic techniques. All the synthesized compounds were tested for their inhibition activities on different enzymes. Inhibition experiments gave good and moderate results, proving their activities of these compounds as anticholinergics potential. These obtained novel 2-methylimidazolium salts (1a–e and 2a–e) molecules were effective inhibitors of the carbonic anhydrase I and II isozymes (hCA I and II) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzymes with Ki values in the range of 26.45 ± 6.49–77.60 ± 9.53 nM for hCA I, 27.87 ± 5.00–86.61 ± 5.71 nM for hCA II, and 1.15 ± 0.19–8.89 ± 0.49 nM for AChE, respectively. AChE enzyme inhibitors are the most common drugs applied in the therapy of diseases such as senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease, ataxia, Parkinson's disease, and among others. © 2019 Elsevier Inc