The roles of mercapto, benzene and methyl groups in the corrosion inhibition of imidazoles on copper: I. Experimental characterization

- At 1 mM the inhibition effectiveness is: ImiMe < ImiH < BimH < SH-ImiMe < SH-BimH.
- Mercapto and benzene groups are beneficial for inhibition, but methyl group is not.
- Inhibition is related to formation of cuprous compounds containing N, C and S.
- Formation of cupric compounds is related to low inhibition and low N content.