Molecular Association of a Nonionic and an Ionic-Induced Surfactant:  Cryptand (221D) NaCl in Water

The cryptand 5-decyl-4,7,13,16,21-pentaoxa-1,10-diazabicyclo-[8.8.5] tricosane [221D] strongly resembles a surfactant in its characteristics:  it contains a hydrophilic headgroup, the cryptand unit, and a hydrophobic unit, the decyl chain. It is insoluble in water, but in the presence of an appropriate amount of NaCl, as a consequence of the complex formation between 221D and Na+, it becomes soluble and forms aggregates. The aggregates, depending on the NaCl-221D molar ratio, can be considered as mixed ionic nonionic micelles or ionic micelles. The evolution of the aggregate dimensions and their shape has already been studied at two NaCl-221D molar ratios as a function of the 221D concentra…