Adsorption properties of soluble surface active stilbazium dyes at the air-water interface

The adsorption behaviour of a homologous series of amphiphilic hemicyanines is studied at the air-water interface. The dyes exhibit an unusual, marked odd-even effect with respect to the standard free energy of adsorption and the minimum surface area demand. The reasons for such strong, hitherto unknown odd-even effect is not yet clear.