Chiroptical Phenomena in Reverse Micelles: The Case of (1R,2S)-Dodecyl (2-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-phenylethyl)dimethylammonium Bromide (DMEB)

(1R,2S)-Dodecyl(2-hydroxy-1-methyl-2-phenylethyl)dimethylammonium bromide (DMEB) aggregates dispersed in carbon tetrachloride have been investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy at various surfactant concentration and water-to-surfactant molar ratio. Experimental data indicate that, even at the lowest investigated concentration and in absence of added water, DMEB molecules associate in supramolecular assemblies. At higher DMEB concentration the aggregates can confine water molecules, making it plausible to think that DMEB form reverse micelles and that water molecules are quite uniformly dist…