Newer imidazolium
ionic liquid (IL) halides 4a-f appending variety of fluorinated phenylacetamide side chains were designed and synthesized through quaternization of 1-methyl and/or
1,2-dimethylimidazole with appropriate 2-chloro-N-(fluorinatedphenyl)acetamides. The resulting ILs were converted to their respective
ionic liquid analogues carrying fluorinated counteranions (PF6 -, BF4 -, and/or CF3COO-) 5a-r. All newly synthesized ILs were fully characterized using several spectroscopic experiments such as 1H, 13C, 11B, 19F, 31P NMR, and mass analysis. The synthesized
ionic liquids were investigated for their
DNA binding and anticancer activities. The obtained
DNA binding constants ranged from 1.444 × 105 to 3.518 × 105, indicating a reasonably good binding affinity. The percentage of anticancer activities ranged from 48 to 59 with H-1229 cell line, showing quite good anticancer potential. The modeling studies indicated the interactions of the reported molecules with
DNA via hydrogen bonds. These were in agreement with those of
DNA binding and anticancer results. Briefly, the designed
ionic liquids may be used as good anticancer candidates for treating human
cancer.