title: Synthesis and properties of cationic surfactants with tuned hydrophylicity.
abstract: A series of pyridinium-based cationic surfactants has been synthesised and their amphiphilic properties have been studied by conductivity and surface tension measurements. The modification of the substitution pattern on the pyridinium ring by hydrophobic moieties (methyl vs. hydrogen and presence or not of condensed benzene ring) gave the opportunity to investigate structure-activity relationships. Characterization by conductivity and surface tension measurements shed light on the behaviour at the air/water interface and in the micellar environment. In particular, the tendency to form ion pairs at very low concentration was evidenced for all the surfactants substituted on the ring, but not for the simple pyridinium ones. The formation of ion pairs affects both the conductivity and the surface tension plots, showing that a series of steps is involved during the adsorption to the air/water surface. An attempt was made to qualify the single steps in the adsorption at the surface layer. Those steps were attributed to different chemical species (free surfactant ions or ion pairs) and to different arrangements of the surfactant. This work also represents a contribution of investigation at very low surfactant concentrations and high surface tension values.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry and NIS, Interdepartmental Centre of Excellence, University of Torino, C.so M. d'Azeglio 48, I-10125 Torino, Italy. pierluigi.quagliotto@unito.it
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quagliotto
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barolo
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Artuso
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Compari
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fisicaro
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viscardi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000465:Algorithms; D002414:Cations, Monovalent / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007850:Lauric Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D044367:Phase Transition; D010847:Picolines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D011725:Pyridines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D011804:Quinolines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002414:Cations, Monovalent; D007850:Lauric Acids; D008823:Micelles; D010847:Picolines; D011725:Pyridines; D011804:Quinolines; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water