Synthesis, Corrosion Inhibition Performance and Biodegradability of Novel Alkyl Hydroxyethyl Imidazoline Salts

New alkyl hydroxyethyl imidazoline salts were synthesized via a high pressure process with imidazoline and dimethyl carbonate, and their chemical structure were confirmed using mass spectral fragmentation and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. In addition, several quaternary ammonium salts with new counterions (formic acid, acetic acid and lactic acid) were also synthesized by ion exchange reaction of methyl carbonate quaternary ammoniums with the corresponding acids. These new compounds reduced the surface tension of water to a minimum value of approximately 27 mN m−1 at a concentration of 8.72 × 10−5 mol L−1. They also show efficient corrosion inhibition performances and could significantly inhibit the corrosion of mild steel in acid solutions. It was also found that the biological degradation of these imidazoline surfactants was greater than 98 % after 7 days.