Zwitterionic [(4‐n‐Alkyl‐1,4‐bisazoniacyclohex‐1‐yl)methyl]pentafluorosilicates: A New Class of Surface‐Active Compounds with a Hexacoordinate Silicon Atom

A series of (4‐n‐alkyl‐1,4‐bisazoniacyclohex‐1‐yl)methyl]pentafluorosilicates (alkyl = hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl; compounds 14 – 18 ) were synthesized and studied for their surface activity. The zwitterionic pentafluorosilicates with hexacoordinate Si atoms 14 – 18 were prepared by reaction of the respective (4‐n‐alkylpiperazin‐1‐yl)methyl]trimethoxysilanes obtained by treatment of (MeO)₃SiCH₂Cl with the respective n‐alkylpiperazine in the presence of NEt₃] with HF in water/ethanol. Surface tension measurements with solutions of 14 – 18 in 0.01 M hydrochloric acid proved that these compounds are surfactants, the increase of the n‐alkyl chain length resulting in an increase of surface activity ( 14 → 18 ). The equilibrium surface tension vs concentration isotherms for 14 – 17 (solutions of “surface‐chemically pure” samples in 0.01 M hydrochloric acid) were analyzed quantitatively.