Interactions of small molecules with reverse micelles

Reverse micelles, or water-in-oil microemulsions, incorporate a variety of solutes. The distribution of the solute between the surrounding solvent and the micelles can be described in terms of a partition constant based on a two pseudophases model that can be expanded to three pseudophases in micelles with high water to surfactant mole ratios. In these systems, two partition constants can be defined, one between the external solvent and the micellar interface, and other between the external solvent and the inner water pool. The present review describes the methodologies that can be employed to obtain distribution constants, and discuss literature data obtained in these systems. The localization of solutes associated to the micelles, as well as the effects promoted by solute incorporation on micellar properties are also discussed.