Imidazolium salts from amino acids—a new route to chiral zwitterionic carbene precursors?

Chiral, carboxylic acid-functionalised imidazolium zwitterions were synthesised from the corresponding l-amino acids phenyl alanine, alanine and glycine (achiral). They form infinite C11 (10) chain structures in the solid state. The incorporation of water is dependent upon the creation of suitable cavities by the steric demands of the amino acid side chains.

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