Nonionic amphiphilic compounds from lysine as molecular mimics of lecithins.

New monodisperse nonionic surfactant molecules, based on lysine with two fatty acid chains in the hydrophobic part and one or two polyoxyethylene methoxycapped chains (EO−Me) in the hydrophilic headgroup, are synthesized as mimics of natural lecithins. Their surface-activity properties indicate that these compounds have surfactant behavior whose global hydrophobic contribution is comparable to that of one fatty chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]