N. Mariano Correa

On the formation of new reverse micelles: a comparative study of benzene/surfactants/ionic liquids systems using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering.

The microenvironment of the polar core generated in different ionic liquid reverse micelle (IL RM) systems were investigated using the solvatochromic behavior of 1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine (QB) as an absorption probe and dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The novel RM systems consist of two different ILs--1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (bmimTf2N)--sequestrated by two different surfactants--Triton X-100 (TX-100) and benzyl-n-hexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC)--in order to make IL/surfactant/benzene RMs. The effect of the variation of Ws (Ws=[IL]/[surfactant]) on the QB spectroscopy was used to characterize these nonaqueous RMs. DLS results confirm the formation of these IL RM systems because increasing Ws increases the droplet sizes. Moreover it is demonstrated that the structure of the sequestrated ILs depends strongly on the type of surfactant use to create the RMs.

An example of how to use AOT reverse micelle interfaces to control a photoinduced intramolecular charge-transfer process.

6-Propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminonaphtahalene, PRODAN, is widely used as a fluorescent molecular probe due to its significant Stokes shift in polar solvents. It is an aromatic compound with intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) states which can be particularly useful as sensors. In this work, we performed absorption, steady-state, time-resolved fluorescence (TRES), and time-resolved area normalized emission (TRANES) spectroscopies on PRODAN dissolved in nonaqueous reverse micelles. The reverse micelles are composed of polar solvents/sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-heptane. Sequestered polar solvents included ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (GY), formamide (FA), dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethylacetamide (DMA). The experiments were performed with varying surfactant concentrations at a fixed molar ratio W(S) = [polar solvent]/[AOT]. In every reverse micelle studied, the results show that PRODAN undergoes a partition process between the external solvent and the reverse micelle interface. The partition constants, K(p), are quantified from the changes in the PRODAN emission and/or absorption spectra with the surfactant concentration. The K(p) values depend strongly on the encapsulated polar solvent and correlate quite well with the AOT reverse micelle interfaces zones where PRODAN can exist and emits. Thus, the partition toward the reverse micelle interface is strongly favored in DMF and DMA containing micelles where the PRODAN emission comes only from an ICT state. For GY/AOT reverse micelles, the K(p) value is the lowest and only emission from the local excited (LE) state is observed. On the other hand, for EG/AOT, PG/AOT, and water/AOT reverse micelles, the K(p) values are practically the same and emission from both states (LE and ICT) is simultaneously detected. We show here that it is possible to control the PRODAN state emission by simply changing the properties of the AOT reverse micelle interfaces by choosing the appropriate polar solvent to make the reverse micelle media. Indeed, we present experimental evidence with the answer to the long time question about from which state does PRODAN emit, a process that can be controlled using the unique reverse micelle interfaces properties.

A Unique Ionic Liquid with Amphiphilic Properties That Can Form Reverse Micelles and Spontaneous Unilamellar Vesicles

Catanionic surfactants: the synthesis of a new surfactant ionic liquid with unique properties is described. The formation of reverse micelles in benzene and large unilamellar vesicles, formed spontaneously without the help of any mechanical of chemistry methods, in water is demonstrated by using dynamic light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering techniques.

Effect of the Constrained Environment on the Interactions between the Surfactant and Different Polar Solvents Encapsulated within AOT Reverse Micelles

Herein, we report a study of the interactions between different nonaqueous polar solvents, namely, ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (GY), dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethylacetamide (DMA), and the polar heads of sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) in nonaqueous AOT/n-heptane reverse micelles. The goal of our study is to gain insights into the unique reverse-micelle microenvironment created upon encapsulation of these polar solvents. For the first time, the study is focused on determining which regions of the AOT molecular structure are involved in the interactions with the polar solvents. We use FTIR spectroscopy--a noninvasive technique--to follow the changes in the AOT C=O band and the symmetric and asymmetric SO(3)(-) vibration modes upon increasing the content of polar solvents in the micelles. The results show that GY interacts through H bonds with the SO(3)(-) group, thereby removing the Na(+) counterions from the interface remaining in the polar core of the micelles. PG and EG interact through H bonds, mainly with the C=O group of AOT, penetrating into the oil side of the interface. Thus, they interact weakly with the Na(+) counterion, which seems to be close to the AOT sulfonate group. Finally, DMF and DMA, encapsulated inside the reverse micelles, interact neither with the C=O nor with the SO(3)(-) groups, but their weakly bulk-associated structure is broken because of the interactions with Na(+). We suggest that DMF and DMA can complex the Na(+) ions through their carbonyl and nitrogen groups. Hence, our results do not only give insights into how the constrained environment affects the bulk properties of polar solvents encapsulated within reverse micelles but--more importantly--they also help us to answer the tricky question about which regions of the AOT moiety are involved in the interactions with the polar solvents. We believe that our results show a clear picture of the interactions present at the nonaqueous reverse-micelle interface; this is important because these media are interesting nanoreactors for heterogeneous chemistry, templates for nanoparticles, and models for membranes.

Layered structure of room-temperature ionic liquids in microemulsions by multinuclear NMR spectroscopic studies.

Microemulsions form in mixtures of polar, nonpolar, and amphiphilic molecules. Typical microemulsions employ water as the polar phase. However, microemulsions can form with a polar phase other than water, which hold promise to diversify the range of properties, and hence utility, of microemulsions. Here microemulsions formed by using a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) as the polar phase were created and characterized by using multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. (1)H, (11)B, and (19)F NMR spectroscopy was applied to explore differences between microemulsions formed by using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF(4)]) as the polar phase with a cationic surfactant, benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC), and a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100 (TX-100). NMR spectroscopy showed distinct differences in the behavior of the RTIL as the charge of the surfactant head group varies in the different microemulsion environments. Minor changes in the chemical shifts were observed for [bmim](+) and [BF(4)](-) in the presence of TX-100 suggesting that the surfactant and the ionic liquid are separated in the microemulsion. The large changes in spectroscopic parameters observed are consistent with microstructure formation with layering of [bmim](+) and [BF(4)](-) and migration of Cl(-) within the BHDC microemulsions. Comparisons with NMR results for related ionic compounds in organic and aqueous environments as well as literature studies assisted the development of a simple organizational model for these microstructures.

Characterization of multifunctional reverse micelles' interfaces using hemicyanines as molecular probes. II: Effect of the surfactant.

In this work, we have investigated the behavior of the cationic hemicyanine trans-4-[4-(dimethylamino)-styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (HC) in benzene/benzyl-n-hexadecyl dimethylammonium chloride (BHDC)/water reverse micelle media using absorption and emission spectroscopy in addition to the steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence emission techniques and compare the results to those obtained in benzene/sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/water reverse micelle media (Moyano, F.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2009, 113, 4284.) in order to gain more insight about reverse micelle interface properties. Our results show that HC spectroscopic behavior is completely different when dissolved in AOT or in BHDC reverse micelle media. While the dye experiences an intramolecular charge-transfer process upon excitation in the former media, in BHDC, this process is inhibited because of the cationic nature of the surfactant. Interestingly, we also show that the water properties are different for water molecules sequestrated inside of an anionic and cationic reverse micelle system. This come out because the water molecules entrapped inside of the BHDC reverse micelle media appear to be non-electron-donating because of its interaction with the cationic surfactant polar head group. On the other hand, the water molecules sequestrated inside of the AOT reverse micelle systems show its electron-donor ability enhanced in comparison with its water bulk structure. These results could also explain the lack of nucleophilicity shown by the water molecules entrapped in BHDC reverse micelle media reported in previous kinetic studies.

A new organized media: glycerol:N,N-dimethylformamide mixtures/AOT/n-heptane reversed micelles. The effect of confinement on preferential solvation.

In this work we investigate the behavior of the glycerol (GY):N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) mixture in homogeneous and sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-heptane reversed micelles (RMs) media. To achieve this goal we have used the solvatochromic behavior of 1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine (QB) as an absorption probe, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). QB shows strong preferential solvation when it is dissolved in the GY:DMF mixture, and, as QB is a good hydrogen bond acceptor molecular probe, it is preferentially solvated by the GY-DMF hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) species. On the other hand, when the GY:DMF mixture was investigated in AOT RMs, the results show that the mixture is encapsulated in the polar core of the AOT RMs. DLS confirms the formation of the GY:DMF/AOT/n-heptane RMs since an increase in the W(s)=([GY]+[DMF])/[AOT] values causes an increment in the RMs droplets sizes. The solvatochromic behavior of QB, which resides at the AOT RMs interface, shows that QB is mostly solvated by GY molecules, especially at low W(s) values. Thus, it seems that upon encapsulation inside the polar core of the AOT RMs, the GY-DMF interaction diminishes due to the strong AOT-GY interaction. (1)H NMR chemical shifts of GY and DMF measured in the different AOT RMs investigated shows that GY and DMF behave practically as noninteracting solvents inside the RMs.

Comparison between Two Anionic Reverse Micelle Interfaces: The Role of Water–Surfactant Interactions in Interfacial Properties

The water/sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (NaDEHP) reverse micelle (RM) system is revisited by using, for the first time, molecular probes to investigate interface properties. The solvatochromic behavior of 1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine (QB) and 6-propionyl-2-(N,N-dimethyl)aminonaphthalene (PRODAN) in the water/NaDEHP/toluene system is studied, and the results are compared with those obtained in water/sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/toluene RM media. The results demonstrate that the micropolarity, microviscosity, interfacial water structure, molecular probe partition, and intramolecular electron-transfer processes are dramatically altered for NaDEHP RM interfaces in comparison to the AOT systems. Because of organic nonpolar solvent penetration into the interface, NaDEHP RM media offer an interface with lower micropolarity and microviscosity than AOT media. Also, the interfacial water in the NaDEHP system shows enhanced water-water hydrogen-bond interaction in comparison with bulk water. The AOT RM interface represents a unique environment for PRODAN to undergo dual emission.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Water/BHDC Cationic Reverse Micelles. Structural Characterization, Dynamical Properties, and Influence of Solvent on Intermicellar Interactions

We report results obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) experiments of benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC) cationic reverse micelles (RMs). In particular we analyzed equilibrium and dynamical characteristics of water/BHDC RMs in pure benzene, at two different water/BHDC ratios (W0 = 5 and W0 = 10). The RMs appear as elliptical aggregates with eccentricities close to ∼0.9. Analysis of the different spatial correlations reveals three different spatial domains in the RMs: a water inner pool, the surfactant interface, and the external solvent. The calculated accessible surface areas for the aqueous inner cores suggest a strong penetration of solvent molecules within the micellar interface domains. Comparison between the density profiles of both RMs shows an increment of the broadness in the distributions of all species at the interface, along with an increasing overlap between the tail segments of the surfactant and benzene molecules as one considers larger micelles. For the dynamical side, the rotational characteristic time scale for the confined water was found to be 1 order of magnitude larger than that of the bulk water. A similar effect was also observed for hydrogen bond dynamics. Both retardation effects diminish with the size of the aggregate. To the estimate the influence of the external solvent on the intermicellar interactions, free energy profiles for the coalescence process between RMs of similar size in pure benzene and in a n-heptane/benzene mixture were also investigated. The results indicate that the association process is facilitated by the presence of n-heptane in the external nonpolar phase. Comparison with previous theoretical and experimental results is also carried out.

Binding of nitroanilines to reverse micelles of AOT n-hexane

Abstract The electronic absorption spectra of a series of nitroanilines: p-nitroaniline (pNA); o-nitroaniline (oNA); 2,4-dinitroaniline (dNA) and N,N-dimethyl-p-nitroaniline (N,NpNA) have been measured in solutions of sodium 1,4-bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in n-hexane at different W=[H2O]/[AOT]. On increasing AOT concentration, it is observed that the characteristic absorption band of pNA, oNA and dNA in n-hexane decreases in intensity, and a new band develops at higher wavelength. A net isosbestic point is detected in every case. The spectral changes are interpreted as a consequence of an equilibrium between nitroaniline free and bound to AOT in the micellar system. These changes allowed us to determine the binding constant (Kb) between the nitroanilines and AOT. The values of Kb vary from 73 M−1 for oNA to 3370M−1 for dNA at W = 0. For N,NpNA only a shift of the absorption band in n-hexane is observed. The magnitude of the possible solute-solvent interactions of these compounds was analyzed by means of the Taft and Kamlets solvatochromic comparison method. Thus, taking into account our studies in pure solvents, the strength of binding is interpreted considering their polarity and hydrogen-bond donor ability as well as their solubility in n-hexane. The binding of oNA to AOT shows a decrease in Kb followed by a plateau value as W is increased. For pNA and dNA, which have large values of Kb, no variation is observed as W is increased. This effect is discussed in terms of a competition between the nitroaniline and water for interfacial binding sites. In addition the absorption maxima of the free nitroaniline tends toward that on hexane (hypsochromic shift) when increasing the water concentration and mainly for oNA, indicating that water competition for the hydrogen bond acceptor sites of AOT is greater for the weaker bounded nitroaniline. The absorption maxima of the bound nitroanilines shifts bathochromically on water addition as expected for the increasing polarity of the micellar interface.