Analysis of “Carboxylate” type anionic surfactants
These are the R-COO− conjugate bases of carboxylic acids. These bases are generally rather weak. The negative charge on the molecule is delocalized on the two oxygen atoms of the carboxyl group by mesomery, which explains the relative stability of this type of molecules.
The carboxylate ion is an amphiphilic
surfactant , it is the detergent species of soap. Indeed, the COO- carboxylate group is hydrophilic because it is very polar. On the other hand, the carbon chain R is apolar and therefore hydrophobic and lipophilic.
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