Cholinium-Based Ionic Liquids from Hydroxycinnamic Acids as New Promising Bioactive Agents: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Investigation

Cholinium-based ionic liquids (Cho-ILs) are very attractive compounds for medicinal and pharmaceutical applications as bioavailability enhancers in drug formulations active components ingredients. In this study, we synthesized six Cho-ILs from hydroxycinnamic acids (HCA) ([Cho][HCA] ILs), a group of bioactive with poor water solubility. [Cho][HCA] ILs their parent were evaluated solubility, thermal stability, antioxidant activity. Furthermore, screened cytotoxicity. To rationalize the experimental activities, density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed. The theoretical approach allowed identification most likely radical scavenging mechanisms involving HCAs corresponding forms under studied conditions to observed activity differences between salts acids. Overall, our results revealed higher solubility free-radical than HCAs, relatively high stability (melting temperature > 100 °C) negligible cytotoxicity DFT showed that both hydrogen atom transfer sequential proton loss electron occur aqueous ethanolic solutions. picture emerging supports increasingly expressed idea [Cho][HCA]ILs promising candidates formulation.