The reactivity of p-nitrophenyl esters with surfactants in nonaqueous solvents. III. The effect of altering the head-groups of alkylammonium carboxylates dissolved in benzene

Abstract

The rate of decomposition of p-nitrophenyl acetate, pnpa, has been measured in benzene solutions of a series of alkylammonium propionates, CH₃(CH₂),NH₃^{+ -}O₂CCH₂CH₃ (where n = 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11), and a series of dodecylammonium carboxylates, CH₃(CH₂)₁₁NH₃^{+ -}O₂C(CH₂)_mCH₃ where m = 1, 2, 6 or 7). The micellar rate constant is affected by the alkyl chain length. The bimolecular rate constant is affected by both the chain length and the acidity of the head-groups. The reactivity of longer chain esters with dodecylammonium propionate is markedly less than that of pnpa.