Formose reaction accelerated in aerosol-OT reverse micelles

Abstract

The formose reaction in reverse micelles of aerosol-OT (AOT), triton X-100 (TX), and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was investigated. Time–conversion data have indicated that the interfacial water layer of AOT reverse micelles is a medium that accelerates formation of glycolaldehyde in the formose reaction. The 13C NMR spectra for the products of the formose reaction using formaldehyde-13C as starting material are indicative of the formation of ethylene glycol as a major product.

Keywords

• aerosol-OT
• formose reaction
• hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide
• interfacial layer
• reverse micelles
• triton X-100
• water pool