Chemical compositions with antimicrobial functionality

A method for inhibiting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, comprising:

• contacting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis microbe with a chemical compound, the chemical compound comprising an ionene unit, and the ionene unit comprising a cation distributed along a molecular backbone, wherein the ionene unit has antimicrobial functionality, wherein the molecular backbone is degradable, and wherein the chemical compound is characterized by the following structure:
• wherein X is the cation, wherein R is a hydrophobic functional group, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to two and less than or equal to one thousand, and wherein L is a linkage group selected from the group consisting of:
• an alkyl group, aryl group, an alkenyl group, an aldehyde group, an ester group, a carboxyl group, and a carbonyl group;
• and
• electrostatically disrupting a membrane of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis microbe in response to the contacting.

A method for inhibiting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, comprising:

• contacting a Mycobacterium tuberculosis microbe with a chemical compound, the chemical compound comprising an ionene unit, and the ionene unit comprising a cation distributed along a molecular backbone, wherein the ionene unit has antimicrobial functionality, wherein the molecular backbone is degradable;
• and
• electrostatically disrupting a membrane of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis microbe in response to the contacting, wherein the ionene unit has a chemical structure selected from the group consisting of:
• wherein n is a first integer greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to one thousand, wherein m is a second integer greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to one thousand, wherein y is a third integer greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to one thousand, wherein x is a fourth integer greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to one thousand, and wherein ED2000 is a poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) structure having a molecular weight greater than or equal to 1900 grams per mole and less than or equal to 2200 grams per mole.