Location of Catalytic Head Group of 2-Hydroxymethylimidazole·Cu2+ Complex on the Micellar Surface of Anionic SDS in the Hydrolysis of p-Nitrophenyl Picolinate
Five cationic surfactants, each having a 2-hydroxymethylimidazole moiety which is connected to ammonium nitrogen with a spacer group of (CH2)m and co-micelled with a non-functional surfactant, have been examined for their catalytic activities for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl picolinate. They were highly active in the presence of Cu2+ and the activity increased with increasing methylene number in the order m = 3 < 4 < 6.