Nucleophilic Substitution in Carboxylic Esters in Oil-In-Water Microemulsions

In hydrolysis and aminolysis of p-nitrophenyl esters of carboxylic acids in oil-in-water microemulsions on the basis of surfactants of various nature, a complex mechanism of the effect of the medium is operative, including shift of acid-base equilibria in the nucleophile. The rate constants of the processes studied are quantitatively related to the surface potential of the microdroplet. Varied hydrophobicity of the nucleophile and substrate changes the site of the reaction act and the relative contributions of aminolysis and hydrolysis.