Synthesis of ω-Amino-Functionalized Alkyl Quaternary Ammonium Surfactants

Abstract

A versatile four-step synthetic route towards a series of new ω-amino-functionalized alkyl quaternary ammonium bolaform surfactants was developed. The key step in the synthesis is the ring opening of a macrocyclic lactone to form long-chain ω-hydroxy amide precursors. The asymmetric bolaform surfactants are structurally analogous to the ω-hydroxy quaternary ammonium surfactants that have been previously shown to form small micelles and have been exploited as soft templates in the preparation of super-microporous materials.