Aggregation and reactivity in aqueous solutions of cationic surfactants and aromatic anions across concentration scales

The use of aqueous solutions as solvents in synthetic chemistry is one of the pathways towards more sustainable chemical processes. To increase solubility of reactants in aqueous solutions, surfactants can be used. In particular as a result of detailed kinetic studies involving probe reactions, our current understanding of the reaction environment offered by micelles is good to excellent. However, this understanding does not always translate well to reactions on a synthetic scale because concentrations are typically very different from concentrations used in probe reactions. These high concentrations may lead to changes in aggregate morphologies, in particular where aromatic anions are used in combination with cationic surfactants. An overview of aggregation processes and aggregate morphologies across concentration scales is presented together with a discussion of the resulting effects on reactivity in solutions containing cationic surfactants and (reactive) aromatic anions.     

Aggregate formation in aqueous solutions of carboxymethylcellulose and cationic surfactants

The addition of cationic surfactants to an aqueous solution of an anionic polymer, carboxymethylcellulose (carboxyMC), causes the spontaneous formation of aggregates in a certain range of concentrations. Here we studied two surfactants, dodecyl and hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB and CTAB, respectively). Using different techniques (light scattering, potentiometry, viscosimetry, and zetametry), we found that a simple lengthening of the surfactant tail length by four CH2 groups drastically changes the aggregate morphology, size, and charge. We explored in detail how the surfactant and polymer concentrations act on these systems.     

Semi-quantitative determination of cationic surfactants in aqueous solutions using gold nanoparticles as reporter probes

Concentrations of cationic surfactants in aqueous solutions have been estimated on the basis of changes in the color of gold nanoparticles, used as reporter probes. We have shown that the colors of gold nanoparticles with anionic protective groups on their surfaces shift from red to indigo/purple and then back to red in a range of cationic surfactant solutions in which concentrations vary from very low to above the theoretical CMCs. The color changes occur near the theoretical CMCs, presumably because the presence of surfactant micelles in the solution prevents the gold nanoparticles from aggregating. We have used gold nanoparticles as reporter probes to determine the concentrations of cationic surfactants in products such as hair conditioners, which often contain large amounts of alkyltrimethylammonium halides. Although this approach can only provide an estimate, it can be performed simply by addition of a given amount of gold nanoparticles to a series of diluted solutions, without the need for instruments or labor-intensive procedures. Figure Photographs of a series of diluted hair conditioner solutions with added gold nanoparticles

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Interactions in mixed cationic surfactants and dextran sulfate aqueous solutions

The interactions between a hydrophilic anionic polysaccharide, dextran sulfate, and oppositely charged surfactants, n-alkylammonium chlorides (the number of carbon atoms per chain being 10, 12, and 14), were investigated by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microelectrophoretic mobility, conductivity, surface tension, and light-scattering measurements at 303 K. The increase of surfactant alkyl chain length shifts both the critical aggregation (cac) and the critical micelle concentrations (cmc) toward lower surfactant concentration. Light-scattering and microelectrophoretic data revealed the coexistence of differently structured complexes beyond the cac. The presence of giant vesicles indicates that at least one type of species is ordered in bilayers. X-ray analysis of dry n-alkylammonium dextran sulfates exhibited mesomorphous ordering and interplanar spacings typical for lamellar structures; i.e., n-alkylammonium molecules form more or less disordered bilayers interconnected with dextran sulfate chains, thus forming multilamellar stacks. The average basic lamellar thickness increased linearly with the increase of surfactant chain length, whereas the average number of lamellar bilayers in the stack of lamellae decreases.     

Phase behavior in mixtures of cationic and anionic surfactants in aqueous solutions

Phase behavior of cationic/anionic surfactant mixtures of the same chain length (n=10, 12 or 14) strongly depends on the molar ratio and actual concentration of the surfactants. Precipitation of catanionic surfactant and mixed micelles formation are observed over the concentration range investigated. Coacervate and liquid crystals are found to coexist in the transition region from crystalline catanionic surfactant to mixed micelles.The addition of oppositely charged surfactant diminishes the surface charge density at the mixed micelle/solution interface and enhances the apparent degree of counterion dissociation from mixed micelles. Cationic surfactants have a greater tendency to be incorporated in mixed micelles than anionic ones.     

The reactivity of phosphonic esters in aqueous micellar solutions of cationic surfactants

The micellar effect of cationic surfactants in alkaline hydrolysis of O-alkyl-O-aryl-chloromethyl phosphonates involves a positive contribution of concentrating the reagents and a negative effect of the micellar environment due to a loss in the activation entropy. The reactivity of substrates in micelles depends on both electronic and hydrophobic characteristics of substituents in the aryl group.     

Ionic association with anions of alizarin red S in aqueous solutions with surfactants

The formation of associates of single (H₂An⁻) or doubly charged anions (HAn²⁻) of alizarin red S with cations (Ct⁺) of cyanine dye pinacyanol in aqueous solution is considered. Thermodynamic values of equilibrium association constants were determined according to spectrophotometric data. Values of enthalpy of formation for the associates of the composition Ct⁺ · H₂An⁻ and (Ct⁺)₂ · HAn²⁻ were calculated with the help of semi-empirical methods. It was determined that the addition of cationic or anionic surfactant results in the destruction of associates.     

Temperature-dependent vesicle formation of aqueous solutions of mixed cationic and anionic surfactants

The phase behavior of aqueous solutions of mixed cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium octyl sulfate (SOS) was examined at different temperatures (20, 30, 40, and 50 degrees C). While stable vesicles were formed in a narrow composition range on the SOS-rich side at 20 degrees C, the range widened remarkably when the temperature was raised to 30 degrees C. Thus, the vesicle region extended to cover almost the entire composition range, CTAB:SOS = 0.5:9.5-5.0:5.0, at the total surfactant concentrations of 50-70 mM on the SOS-rich side. To analyze the temperature dependence of this phase behavior of the mixed surfactant system, DSC and fluorescence polarization measurements were performed on the system. The experimental findings obtained revealed that pseudo-double-tailed CTAB/SOS complex, the major component of the bimolecular membrane formed by the surfactant mixture, undergoes a gel (Lbeta)-liquid crystal (Lalpha) phase transition at about 26 degrees C. This phenomenon was interpreted as showing that the bimolecular membrane has no curvature and is rigid and easy to precipitate at temperatures below the phase transition point, whereas it has a curvature and is loose enough to disperse in the solution as vesicles at temperatures above the phase transition point. Vesicles formed by the anionic/cationic surfactant complex were then stable at temperatures above the phase transition temperature of the complex.     

Wetting effect of aqueous binary mixed solutions of cationic and nonionic surfactants

Wetting of low-energy solid surfaces (polymers, hydrophobized glass) with aqueous solutions of binary mixtures of cationic and nonionic surfactants was investigated at molar fractions of the cationic surfactant of 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8. In a narrow concentration range, the non-additive effect of wetting was observed: wetting of the solid surfaces with solutions of the mixtures is better than that would be expected from the additive behavior of the components. The magnitude of the effect depends on the surface energy of the solid substrate, total surfactant concentration in a mixture, and molar fraction of the cationic component. The wetting effect of surfactant mixtures with respect to low-energy solid surfaces can be predicted using the surface tension isotherms.     

Freeze-induced reactions: formation of iodine-bromine interhalogen species from aqueous halide ion solutions

Interhalide ion formation resulting from the freezing of dilute solutions containing components found in natural sea salt are investigated as a potential mechanism for the release of interhalogens to the polar atmosphere. Acidified solutions containing iodide, bromide, and nitrite ions have been frozen and then thawed, with changes in speciation analyzed using UV-visible spectrophotometry. The freezing process is shown to induce the formation of the important interhalide ion, IBr(2)(-). This species has previously been predicted to be a precursor of iodine monobromide, IBr, and represents a potentially important source of halogen atoms in the polar marine boundary layer. The reaction mechanisms that lead to the formation of IBr(2)(-) under freezing conditions are explored using both experimental and computational methodologies. The chemistry involved was subsequently modified in order to mimic naturally occurring conditions more closely and also incorporated the use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. In contrast to previous studies, the freeze-induced production of IBr(2)(-) was thereby observed to occur up to pH <5.1, where the acidity levels are comparable to those found in the polar snowpack.     

Adsorption of organic anions from aqueous solutions by layered silicates modified with cationic surfactant

The interaction of anionic organic dyes with layered silicates (kaolinite and hydromica) both natural and modified with a cationic surfactant (cetylpyridinium bromide) is studied by adsorption and spectral methods. The adsorption of organic anions by modified silicates is proved to proceed via the formation of ionic associates of these adsorbates with the modifier. It is found that the interaction of large organic anions with the modifier results in the desorption of the latter, followed by its secondary adsorption in the form of ionic associates with the adsorbates. The selectivity of layered silicates modified with the cationic surfactant to organic anionic dyes is determined by the stability of the formed dye/modifier ionic associates and their affinity to the surface. These factors depend on the sizes of the hydrocarbon moieties of both components of the associates. Therefore, the selection of a suitable modifier allows one to control the selectivity of modified minerals to different organic anions. Using long-chain organic cations as modifiers, organic anions of any sizes can be extracted from aqueous solutions.     

Structure–activity relationship of cationic surfactants as antimicrobial agents

Cationic surfactants are widely used as antimicrobial agents in various fields. However, the widespread use of cationic surfactants has caused huge accumulation in environment, triggering the emergence of bacterial resistance. Besides, owing to the strong cytotoxicity, most of the cationic surfactants are limited in practical applications. Therefore, constant attention has been paid on how to rationally design the surfactants for achieving highly efficient antimicrobial activity at lower doses but simultaneously presenting low toxic side effects. In this review, we mainly focus on recent advances in the key structural determinants of antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity of cationic surfactants, as well as the design strategies of effective antimicrobial surfactants with low cytotoxicity.     

Interaction of cationic surfactants with carboxymethylcellulose in aqueous media

We have examined the polymer-surfactant interaction in mixed solutions of the cationic surfactants, i.e., dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, tetradecyltriphenylphosphonium bromide, and tetradecylpyridinium bromide and a semiflexible anionic polyelectrolyte carboxymethylcellulose in water and aqueous salt solutions by various techniques: tensiometry, viscosimetry or ion-selective electrode method, and dynamic light scattering. We have investigated the effect of varying surfactant chain length, head group size, counterion, and ionic strength on the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of mixed polymer surfactant systems and the collapse of the polymer molecule under different solution conditions. The CAC decreases with increasing alkyl chain length. Above a certain surfactant concentration, mixed aggregates start growing until their macroscopic phase separation. The growth is more rapid with greater surfactant tail length and with increasing head group size. This is attributed in both cases to the increasing hydrophobic interaction between polymer and surfactant. Among surfactants with monovalent halide counterions, iodide induces the strongest binding, reflected by the onset of growth of the mixed aggregates at low surfactant concentration. This is perhaps related to the decreasing hydration of the counterion from chloride to iodide. The surfactant concentration at which the viscosity of the solution starts to decrease sharply is smaller than the CAC, and probably reflects polymer chain shrinkage due to noncooperative binding.     

Nylon membrane as a fluorimetric probe for the herbicide bentazone

The fluorimetric signal produced by bentazone retained in selected solid surfaces was investigated. Among the different tested supports, only a microporous nylon membrane produced the desired signal. The quantitative study was carried out by second-order calibration using parallel factor analysis, allowing the determination in a highly interfering medium. A detection limit of 0.4 ng mL⁻¹, a prediction relative error of 8%, and a sample frequency of ten samples per hour were obtained in spiked natural waters using green analytical chemistry principles.     

Synthesis and evaluation of cationic and cationogenic polymeric sorbents for removing surfactants from aqueous solutions

Polymers based on 2‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) crossslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) or N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA) have been prepared by solution‐suspension polymerization. Polymers containing ammonium groups were synthesized by quaternization of aminofunctional polymers obtained with ethyl or dodecyl bromide or by the polymerization of respective quaternized monomers. Influence of the content of DMAEMA in the polymers, nominal degree of crosslinking, length of alkyl substituent in quaternary ammonium groups as well as particle size on the sorption of anionic and nonionic surfactants from aqueous solutions has been studied.     

Interaction between primary aliphatic amines and carboxylic acid esters in aqueous micellar solutions of cationic surfactants

The effects of cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) on the acid-base equilibria of primary aliphatic amines and on the kinetics of reactions of the amines withp-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) andp-nitrophenyl caprylate (PNPC) were studied by potentiometric titration and UV spectroscopy. The values of apparent pK _a of the amines in the micellar phase, binding constants of their neutral forms, and the surface potentials of micelles were determined. Cetylpyridinium bromide accelerates the aminolysis of PNPA by factors of 3 to 8 by forming mixed micellar aggregates with the amines. The shift of pK _a values of the amines in micellar solutions is not the only factor that enhances their reactivity. The substrate specificity was found: in contrast to the reaction with PNPA, CPB accelerates (by factors of 15 to 65) or retards (by factors of 4 to 6) the aminolysis of PNPA depending on the hydrophobicity of the nucleophilic reagent. The binding constants of substrates, the rate constants in the micellar phase, and the critical concentrations of micellization were determined from the data obtained. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1333–1338, July, 1998.     

Solvation and ion–ion interactions in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of cationic cytostatic agent prospidium chloride

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Dynamics of halide ion-water hydrogen bonds in aqueous solutions: dependence on ion size and temperature

We have carried out a series of molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamics of X(-)-water (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) and water-water hydrogen bonds in aqueous alkali halide solutions at room temperature and also of Cl(-)-water and water-water hydrogen bonds at seven different temperatures ranging from 238 to 318 K. The hydrogen bonds are defined by using a set of configurational criteria with respect to the anion(oxygen)-oxygen and anion(oxygen)-hydrogen distances and the anion(oxygen)-oxygen-hydrogen angle for an anion(water)-water pair. The results of the hydrogen bond dynamics are obtained for two different cutoff values for the angular criterion. In both cases, similar dynamical behavior of the hydrogen bonds is found with respect to their dependence on ion size and temperature. The fluoride ion-water hydrogen bonds are found to break at a much slower rate than water-water hydrogen bonds, while the lifetimes of chloride and bromide ion-water hydrogen bonds are found to be shorter than those of fluoride ion-water ones but still longer than water-water hydrogen bonds. The short-time dynamics of iodide ion-water hydrogen bonds is found to be slightly faster, while its long-time dynamics is found to be slightly slower than the corresponding water-water hydrogen bond dynamics. Correlations of the observed dynamics of anion(water)-water hydrogen bonds with those of rotational and translational diffusion and residence times of water molecules in ion(water) hydration shells are also discussed. With variation of temperature, the lifetimes of both Cl(-)-water and water-water hydrogen bonds are found to show Arrhenius behavior with a slightly higher activation energy for the Cl(-)-water hydrogen bonds.