Conjugated oligoelectrolytes as antimicrobial agents

A compound of formula I:

• wherein:
• n is 0 or 1;
• m, at each occurrence, independently represents is 1 to 12;
• p and q, at each occurrence, independently represents 0;
• R1, at each occurrence, independently represents a —(CH2)o—NR1′R2′ group or a —(CH2)o′—N+R1′R2′R3′ group, the latter group's charge being balanced by an X—;
• each R1′, R2, R3, R2′ and R3′ are independently a C1-12 alkyl group;
• o and o′ are 1 to 12;
• R4 to R5, at each occurrence, independently represents:
• (a) H;
• (b) halo;
• (c) CN;
• (d) C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), Cy1 (which Cy1 group is unsubstituted or is substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), OR12a, S(O)rR12b, S(O)2NR12cR12d, NR12eS(O)2R12f, NR12gR12h, aryl and Het1);
• (e) Cy2 (which Cy2 group is unsubstituted or is substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), OR13a S(O)rR13b, S(O)2NR13cR13d, NR13eS(O)2R13f, NR13gR13h, aryl and Het2),
• (f) Heta (which Heta group is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents selected from halo, nitro, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), OR14a, S(O)rR14b, S(O)2NR14cR14d, NR14eS(O)2R14f, NR14gR14h, aryl and Het3);
• (g) OR15a;
• (h) S(O)rR15b;
• (i) S(O)2NR15cR15d;
• (j) NR15eS(O)2R15f, and
• (k) NR15gR15h;
• R6 to R11, at each occurrence, independently represents:
• (i) H;
• R12a to R12h, R13a to R13h, R14a to R14h, R15a to R15h, independently represent, at each occurrence, H, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, ═O, C(O)OC1-4 alkyl, CN, C1-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, C2-6 alkynyl, C3-6 cycloalkyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), OR16a, S(O)rR16b, S(O)2NR16cR16d, NR16eS(O)2R16f, NR16gR16h, aryl and Het4), C3-10 cycloalkyl, or C4-10 cycloalkenyl (which latter two groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, ═O, C1-6 alkyl and C1-6 alkoxy) or Hetb;
• R16a to R16h independently represent at each occurrence, H, C1-4 alkyl, C2-4 alkenyl, C2-4 alkynyl which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, CN, C1-4 alkyl, C2-4 alkenyl, C2-4 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), C3-6 cycloalkyl, or C4-6 cycloalkenyl (which latter two groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, ═O, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy),
• Het1 to Het4,Heta, and Hetb independently represent a 4- to 14-membered heterocyclic groups containing one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S and N, which heterocyclic groups may comprise one, two or three rings and may be substituted by one or more substituents selected from ═O, or halo, C1-6 alkyl, which latter group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, —OR17a, —NR17bR17c, —C(O)OR17d and —C(O NR17eR17f,
• R17a to R17f independently represent at each occurrence, H, C1-4 alkyl, C2-4 alkenyl, C2-4 alkynyl which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, nitro, CN, C1-4 alkyl, C2-4 alkenyl, C2-4 alkynyl (which latter three groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from OH, ═O, F, Cl, Br, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy), C3-6 cycloalkyl, or C4-6 cycloalkenyl (which latter two groups are optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, OH, ═O, C1-4 alkyl and C1-4 alkoxy),
• Cy1, Cy2, Cy1′ and Cy2′, at each occurrence, independently represents a 3- to 10-membered aromatic, fully saturated or partially unsaturated carbocyclic ring;
• each r independently represents 0, 1 or 2;
• and
• each X− is a pharmaceutically acceptable anion, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof.