TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Disclosed): Preparation of salts of (I) comprises: reaction of aniline (substituted by R) with glyoxal, an aldehyde compound of formula (CH(=O)-R) and an ammonium halide compound of formula (NH4X) to give a N-substituted imidazole compound of formula (1a); and heating (1a) with a halo-alkane compound of formula (Hal-(CH2)n-CH3) in the presence of solvent to give a halide salt of N-substituted imidazole compound of formula (Ib) (representative of (I)).R = not defined; andX, Hal = halo. Preferred Definitions:    X- = Br-, I-, PF6-, BF4- or (F3CSO2)2N- (all preferred), F-, Cl-, CH3COO-, CF3COO-, CF3SO3-, SO42-, HSO4-, CH3OSO3-, C2H5OSO3-, SO32-, HSO3-, AlCl4-, Al2Cl7-, Al3Cl10-, AlBr4-, NO2-, NO3-, CuCl2-, PO43-, H2PO4-, CO32-, HCO3-, p-CH3C6H4SO3-, OCN-, NCO-, SCN-, NCS-, B(CN)4-, B(OR1y)4-, borate anion of formula (a), (b) or ((X)2-B-(O-R8)-O-R9), 1,4,6,9-tetraoxa-5-boranuidaspiro(4.4)nonane-2,3,7,8-tetrone, 8,8'-spirobi(7,9-dioxa-8-boranuidabicyclo(4.3.0)nona-1(6),2,4-triene) (substituted by R10), 4,4-difluoro-3,5-dioxa-4-boranuidacyclopentane-1,2-dione, 5,5-difluoro-4,6-dioxa-5-boranuidacyclohexane-1,3-dione, difluoro-bis((2,2,2-trifluoroacetyl)oxy)boranuide or diacetoxy(difluoro)boranuide, N(CF3)2-, N(CN)2- or N(SO2CzF2z+1)2-;    z = 1-20;    R1y = 1-18C alkyl, 1-18C alkenyl, 1-18C alkynyl, 6-12C aryl and/or 7-30C aralkyl (all optionally substituted and/or branched, and optionally containing one or more, preferably 1-4 O and/or N as heteroatoms);    A1, A2 = -R7-R-6-, -C(=O)-C(=O)- or phenyl group of formula (c);    R10 = alkyl, aryl, H, halo, NO2, NH2, -NHR6, -N(R6)2, -COOR6 or -OR6;    R6, R7 = alkyl or aryl;    R8, R9 = -S(=O)2-OH, alkyl or aryl;    A = A1 or A2;    Z = H or CH3; and    Q = CH3, OH, -OCH3, -SO3H, -SO3R1x, COOH, -COOCH3, -COCH3, NH2, -NHCH3, N(CH3)2, or -CH(CH3)2.    Provided that: when Y1 and Y2 are CH, and R1, R2, R4 and R5 are H, then R3 is -NO2, Cl, Br, COOC2H5, CH3, OC2H5, OCH3 or OH; when Y1 and Y2 are CH, and R2 and R4 are H, then R1, R3 and R5 are CH3; when Y1 and Y2 are CH, and R2, R3 and R4 are H, then R1 and R5 are -CH(CH3)2, Cl and CF3; when Y1 and Y2 are CH, and R3 and R5 are H, then R2 and R4 are CF3; when Y1 is N, and Y2 is CH, then R1-R5 are H; and when Y1 is CH, and Y2 is N, then R1-R5 are H.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 42 Salts of (I) are disclosed e.g. 3-ethyl-1-mesitylimidazolium bromide of formula (Ia), 4-phenyl-1-(ethyl)triazolium bromide, 1-phenyl-4-(ethyl)triazolium bis(trifluoroethylsulfon)imide, 1-mesityl-3-tetradecylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, and 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-propylimidazolium bromide.    EXAMPLE - Mesitylimidazole (5.37 mmol) and ethyl bromide (1,894 g) were dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (5 ml) and heated for 2.5 hours at 100 degrees C to give 3-ethyl-1-mesitylimidazolium bromide (1.420 g, 89.3%).