CLEAVABLE DOUBLE-CHAIN SURFACTANTS WITH ONE CATIONIC AND ONE ANIONIC HEAD GROUP THAT FORM VESICLES

Cleavable surfactants 1 ])hydrazino-N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-oxoethanami nium bromide: a, alkyl = dodecyl; alkylidene = tridecylidene; b, alkyl = tetradecyl; alkylidene = pentadecylidene), which contain two alkyl chains and two head groups, have been prepared by the reaction of surf actants 2 2-hydrazino-N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-oxoethanaminium bromide: a, alkyl = dodecyl; b, alkyl = tetradecyl) with keto acids 3 (a, 4-oxo hexadecanoic acid; b, 4-oxooctadecanoic acid). Surfactants 1 form vesi cles, including giant vesicles observed by optical microscopy, and und ergo acid-catalyzed hydrolysis at pH ca. 3, to give 2 and 3.