Antiarrhythmic imidazoliums, intermediates thereto and method of use

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Imidazolium salts described are useful as antiarrhythmic agents. A method of treating arrhythmia by increasing the refractoriness of cardiac tissue is provided as well as pharmaceutical formulations containing such imidazolium salts. The invention thus provides compounds having the formula as a compound of the formula:, wherein R = straight or branched chain alkyl having 1-12 carbon atoms, C5-C6 cycloalkyl (lower)alkyl, or, ;, R1,R2,R3 = hydrogen, a straight chain alkyl group of 1-4 carbon atoms R4,R5 = hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy lower alkyl, lower, alkoxy, cyano, nitro carbamoyl, lower alkylcarbamoyl, lower alkanoylamido, sulfamoyl, sulfamoyl substituted by a straight or branched 1-4 …