Preparation, surface-active and antielectrostatic properties of multiple quaternary ammonium salts

A series of new cationic surfactants, bis-quaternary ammonium salts and tris-ammonium salts, were prepared from N,N-dimethyldodecylamine and a product of the reaction of epichlorohydrin with ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, pentyl-, hexyl-, and octylamine (in the xase of bis-ammonium salts) or the hydrochloride of diethyl-, dipropyl-, dibutyl-, or dihexylamine (in the case of tris-ammonium salts). The obtained multiple salts were examined with respect to their surface-active properties: Critical micelle concentrations (CMC), effectiveness of surface tension reductions (γ_CMC), and adsorption efficiencies (pC₂₀) were measured. All these surfactants showed good water solubility and low CMC of more than one order of magnitude lower than those of corresponding monoalkylammonium salts. They also showed good foaming properties, but worse wetting capability. The obtained multiple salts showed excellent antielectrostatic properties.