Biobased Ionic Liquids with Abietate Anion

The present study is focused on the utilization of naturally occurring abietic acid in the synthesis of high added-value compounds with attractive characteristics. The synthesis of ILs derived from abietic acid was conducted using ion-exchange or neutralization methods, and the products were obtained with high yields exceeding 85%. The study confirmed strong influence of the chemical structure on the physicochemical properties of the obtained compounds, such as solubility, thermal stability, and phase transitions. The results also revealed excellent deterrent properties of ILs with abietate anions toward S. granarius, T. confusum, and T. granarium, reaching or exceeding the values calculated for azadirachtin. The best results were achieved for cations containing long alkyl substituentstetraalkylammonium and 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations. Additionally, the obtained compounds exhibited antioxidant properties in the DPPH radical scavenging assay. The highest activity was observed for tetraalkylammonium cations. The obtained results allow for a conclusion that abietate ionic liquids with both antifeedant and antioxidant activity can be successfully implemented into storage crop protection.