CLEAVABLE SURFACTANTS

A brief review of cleavable surfactants, synthesized and characterized by the author and his co-workers, is presented, Two types of cleavabl e surfactants have been reported; each contains a labile functional gr oup, Both single and double-chain first generation cleavable surfactan ts are cleaved to give nonsurfactant fragments: a water-insoluble orga nic compound and a water-soluble ionic compound, Single-chain second g eneration cleavable surfactants are cleaved to give another surfactant and a water-soluble organic compound; double-chain second generation surfactants are cleaved to give two single-chain surfactants. Cleavabl e surfactants allow the elimination of problems associated with the pr esence of aggregated surfactants after their beneficial use.