Novel benzimidazolium salts and their silver complexes: Synthesis and antibacterial properties

A series of unsymmetrical N,N-disubstituted benzimidazolium salts were synthesized as N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors. These compounds were used to synthesize of N-heterocyclic carbene silver(I) complexes. New compounds were characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies and elemental analyses. The antibacterial activity of all the compounds was tested against Gram (+)/(−) and fungal strains using the agar dilution procedure.