REACTION-KINETICS IN AQUEOUS SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS

This is a bibliography-based review of works on reaction mechanisms and reaction kinetics taking place at interface of surfactants on water. One aspect of these works has involved the catalysis or inhibition of solution reactions by submicroscopic entities such as polyelectrolytes, cyclodextrins, or micelles. These reactions often occur at the interface between the solvent, which is usually water or an aqueous organic mixture, and the submicroscopic particle or aggregate. There has been the hope that these interfacial systems would mimic enzymic catalysts, and at the least give some evidence on the factors which govern this catalysis. The review is presented under headings: introduction; micellar effects on chemical reactions; simple distribution model; distribution model for biomolecular reactions; source of micellar catalysis and role of functional surfactants; micellar effects upon reaction products; limitations of the pseudophase model; assessment of the role of submicellar aggregates. It is demonstrated that the rate enhancements in bimolecular reactions are due largely to the concentration of reactants into a small volume element at the micelle-water interface.