NEW CLEAVABLE SURFACTANTS DERIVED FROM GLUCONO-1,5-LACTONE

New amido nonionic cleavable surfactants were synthesized in good yiel ds by the acetalization of glucono-1,5-lactone with octanal, 2- octano ne or 2-undecanone, followed by amidation with monoethanolamine, dieth anolamine or morpholine. These compounds Possessed good water solubili ties. The compounds derived from 2-octanone showed higher critical mic elle concentrations than the compounds from octanal. For the same hydr ophobic chain, both the micelle-forming property and the ability to lo wer surface tension increased with the change in the terminal amide gr oup in the order diethanolamide < morpholide < monoethanolamide. Inter estingly, in spite of their relatively short hydrophobic chains, these compounds showed greater ability to lower surface tension than conven tional nonionic surfactants, such as alcohol ethoxylates. Furthermore, their acid-decomposition properties were determined. Their decomposit ion rates were also compared with that of the corresponding carboxylat e type of compound derived from glucono 1,5-lactone.