ABSTRACT
A new family of polymerizable surfactants was synthesized starting from a 1:1 mixture of alkylcarboxylic acids (C(10) to C(16)) and norbornene methyleneamine. The ion-paired surfactants exhibited cloud temperatures, surface activity, and critical aggregation concentrations that differed according to the chain length, with a variation indicating a strongly associated ion pair. Light-scattering measurements and electron microscopy observations confirmed the spontaneous formation of stable vesicles (90 nm < d < 370 nm). Also, NMR experiments showed the enclosing of the norbornene part inside the vesicle membrane. Moreover, the addition of sodium chloride allowed the formation of a tubular structure leading to a viscous or gel-like solution. Finally, a preliminary vinylic polymerization test proved the polymerizable character of these ion-paired surfactants by an organometallic catalysis, leading to partially polymerized vesicles.
