SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL 4-AMINO-DECYLPYRIDINIUM BROMIDE CATIONIC SURFACTANT

4-Amino-decylpyridinium bromide (ADPBr), an antimicrobial surface active agent, was synthesized by quaternization of 4-aminopyridine (AP) with decyl bromide (DBr). The reaction was carried out at 1:1.2 molar ratio of reactants (4-aminopyridine and decyl bromide, respectively) at 200 degrees C for 10 min. The maximum yield of the product was 74.6%. The structure of the synthesized product was characterized by using modern analytical techniques, such as FT-IR, H-1 NMR, and C-13 NMR. The antimicrobial activity of the salt was evaluated with minimum inhibition concentration method and showed good activity against gram-negative bacteria. The MIC of the salt was found to be 600 ppm for 2 x 10(4) CFU/mL of E. coli.