Imidazolium cations and uses therefor

A method for the treatment of a viral disease comprising administration of an effective antifungal amount of a compound of the formula

• wherein A is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, which may be optionally substituted by one or more R substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• wherein P or Q are optional substituents, each independently a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy, or P and Q together is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, said P and Q substituents independently or together which may optionally be substituted by one or more R′ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halide, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• C is an optional substituent which represents the atomic group necessary to form an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, which may optionally be substituted by one or more R″″ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• R″ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R′″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• R′″ is a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• and X is an anion;
• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the formula

• wherein A is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, which may be optionally substituted by one or more R substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• wherein P or Q are optional substituents, each independently a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy, or P and Q together is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, said P and Q substituents independently or together which may optionally be substituted by one or more R′ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halide, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• C is an optional substituent which represents the atomic group necessary to form an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, which may optionally be substituted by one or more R″″ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• R″ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R′″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• R′″ is a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• and X is an anion;
• and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A fluorescent sensor for a transition metal comprising a transition metal in association with a compound of the formula

• wherein A is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, which may be optionally substituted by one or more R substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• wherein P or Q are optional substituents, each independently a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy, or P and Q together is the atomic group necessary to form a heteroaromatic ring, said P and Q substituents independently or together which may optionally be substituted by one or more R′ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl hydroxy, halide, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• C is an optional substituent which represents the atomic group necessary to form an aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, which may optionally be substituted by one or more R″″ substituents selected from the group consisting of aryl, heteroaryl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, halo, lower alkylamino, amino, nitro, or carboxy substituents;
• R″ is hydrogen, a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R′″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• R′″ is a lower alkyl or aryl group, or together with R″ and the nitrogen atom to which it is attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 5 to 7 members, which may optionally contain a sulfur, oxygen, silicon, selenium or an additional nitrogen atom, said ring optionally substituted with at least one lower alkyl group;
• and X is an anion.