ChemInform Abstract: THE CATALYTIC ACTION OF A MIXED MICELLE OF LAUROYLAMINO ACID AND A DETERGENT

The catalytic effect of the mixed micelles of lauroylamino acids (LauAm) and detergents on the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl acetate has been studied. The amino acids used for the synthesis of LauAm were glycine, serine, histidine, tyrosine, lysine, and arginine. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C12E6) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were used for the preparation of the mixed micelles with LauAm. Among the detergents used, only CTAB remarkably enhanced the catalytic activity of LauAm. A reaction scheme was proposed, and the rate constant for the catalytic activity of LauAm was estimated from the kinetic data. The effect of pH was also studied. Discussions were given of the mechanism of the catalytic action on the basis of the present study.