Abstract
Bis (ammonium bromide) cleavable surfactants each bearing two ester groups were easily prepared by the acid-catalyzed esterification of 1-O-alkylglycerols with bromoacetic acids followed by reaction with amine. The surfactants showed better water solubility, better micelle formation and greater ability to lower surface tension compared to dodecyltrimethylammonium and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromides, and their decomposition occurred more readily than bis (sodium sulfonates) at 0.01M sodium deuteroxide (NaOD). Biodegradability was more extensive compared to conventional quaternary ammonium surfactants. The compounds, obtained by chemodecomposition of cleavable surfactants, underwent greater biodegradability than the corresponding original surfactants.
