We investigated the biological activity of surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds: gemini surfactant hexamethylene-1,6-bis-(N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylammonium bromide) (C6), synthesized by the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylamine with 1,6-dibromohexane, and its monomeric analogue dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). The experiments were performed with bacteria Asaia lannensis, a ...

We have developed oleic acid-based partially fluorinated gemini surfactants with carboxylic acid headgroups. The fluorocarbon chain is covalently bound to the terminal carbonyl group of oleic acid via a -CH(2)CH(2)OCO- unit, and the carboxylic acid headgroups are introduced to the cis double bond of oleic acid via -OCOCH(2)CH(2)- units. The aqueous solution properties of these surfactants were ...

The structure of the lipoplex formed from DNA and the sugar-based cationic gemini surfactant 1, which exhibits excellent transfection efficiency, has been investigated in the pH range 8.8-3.0 utilizing small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Uniquely, three well-defined morphologies of the lipoplex were observed upon gradual acidification: a lamellar phase, ...

The “head” part of surfactant molecules consist of a polar or ionic group. The “tail” of many surfactants consist of a single hydrocarbon chain whereas that of some other surfactants, e.g., phospholipids, are made of two hydrocarbon chains both of which are connected to the same head. In contrast, gemini surfactants2–5, consist of two single-chain surfactants whose heads are connected by a “spa...

Cyclodextrins are able to act as host molecules in supramolecular chemistry with applications ranging from pharmaceutics to detergency. Among guest molecules surfactants play an important role with both fundamental and practical applications. The formation of cyclodextrin/surfactant host-guest compounds leads to an increase in the critical micelle concentration and in the solubility of surfacta...

Gemini or dimeric surfactants can in principle be viewed as two conventional surfactants connected via a spacer at the level of the polar headgroups. A novel class of sugar-based gemini surfactants with rich and intriguing aggregation behavior in aqueous solution is the focus of this mini-review. The headgroup of the geminis consists of reduced sugars (glucose or mannose) connected to tertiary ...