Prodrug ionic liquids: functionalizing neutral active pharmaceutical ingredients to take advantage of the ionic liquid form

Neutral, non- or not easily-ionizable active pharmaceutical ingredients can take advantage of the unique property sets of ionic liquids by functionalization with hydrolyzable, charged (or ionizable) groups in the preparation of ionic liquid prodrugs as demonstrated here with the synthesis, characterization, and hydrolysis of cationic acetaminophen prodrugs paired with the docusate anion.