The study of the influence of surfactant charge on alkaline hydrolysis reactions of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and triflusal (TFL) using spectrophotometric methods

In this research, the effects of micellar systems on alkaline hydrolysis reactions of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and triflusal (TFL) were found to be dependant upon the surfactant charge within the micelle. In cationic micelles, there is a catalytic effect at low concentrations of surfactant. However, this reaction is inhibited at higher surfactant concentrations. In anionic micelles, a catalytic effect occurs, while in zwitterionic and non-ionic micelles there is an inhibitory effect. Such reactions are attributable to changes in reactants on the micellar surface, or to the fact that both reactants are found in different microenvironments. The pseudophase (PS) and ion-exchange (PPIE) models were found to be consistent with the experimental result. Furthermore, the association constants for both drugs could be determined together with micellar rate constants in heterogeneous media.

Reactions in Micellar Systems

The notion of "green chemistry" has encouraged even synthetic organic chemists to include water as a solvent. Incredible selectivities and activities can be achieved through the addition of amphiphiles with a defined structure. The morphology of supramolecular assemblies or associates formed by surfactants vary according to the temperature and concentration. As a rule, reactions are typically conducted using simple spherical aggregates, that is, micelles in the nanometer range. The strong polarity gradient present between the hydrophilic surface and the hydrophobic core of the micelle means that both nonpolar and polar reagents can be solubilized. This solubilization results in reactants becoming more concentrated within the micelle than in the surrounding water phase and leads to an acceleration of the reaction and causes selective effects. The kinetic treatment of reactions in micellar systems can be accomplished by considering them as microheterogeneous two-phase systems.