Synthesis of 2-Acyl Imidazole Substrates

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sodium salt from salmon testes (catalog # D1626), N-Methylimiazole, n-butyllithium, trans-cinnamic acid, 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-dipyridyl (dmbipy), 3-(N-morpholino) propanesulfonic acid (MOPS), MOPS sodium salt, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (G2), and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (G4) were acquired from Sigma-Aldrich and used as received. 1,2-Dimethoxyethane (G1), triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (G3), and methanol-d₄ were acquired from Alfa Aesar Company (Ward Hill, MA, USA). Dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether (P2) is a kind gift from Novolyte Technologies (Cleveland, Ohio). ILs were purchased or prepared as shown in our earlier paper.^{45 (link)} Deep eutectic solvents, choline chloride/glycerol (1:2, molar ratio) and choline acetate/glycerol (1:2) was prepared following our earlier study.^{28 (link)} The synthesis of 2-acyl imidazole substrates (1a-f) was a modification of literature methods^{46 (link)–48 (link)} and is described in details in Electronic supplementary information (ESI). The preparation of copper complex, Cu(dmbipy)(NO₃)₂, was based on a literature method¹⁴ and is also shown in ESI.