Aminimides: II. Antimicrobial effect of short chain fatty acid derivatives

A new family of surfactants, aminimides, has been screened for in vitro antimicrobial activity. These compounds are active against both bacteria and yeast, activity being a function of chain length. Maximum activity for acetimide and acrylimide amine derivatives was extablished with chain lengths of C 14 –C 16 . Homologous compounds with lower or higher chain lengths were less active. While showing low antimicrobial activity against gram negative bacteria, mixtures containing C 12 and C 16 gave good activity against gram negative strains without losing gram positive activity. Aminimides gave low acute LD 50 ’s (200–400 mg/kg) when tested in mice by intraperitoneal injection.