MICELLAR CATALYSIS ON THE RATES OF NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION REACTIONS

The kinetics of the addition reactions of cyanide ions to crystal violet carbocations in micellar media were catalyzed by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles and inhibited by sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles. The observed rate constant depends on the surfactant concentration and follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. Micellar catalysis is attributed to the alteration of the microenvironment and interactions between various microenvironments. The positive cooperativity model of enzyme catalysis was analysed using micellar data, and a cooperativity index value greater than one indicates the validity of the enzyme catalysis model. The addition of solvents with long alkyl chains showed greater inhibitory effects on the overall catalysis and micelle formation.