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The present review describes the state of the art in the conversion of pharmaceutically active ingredients (API) in amphiphilic Ionic Liquids (ILs) as alternative drug delivery systems. In particular, we focus our attention on the compounds generated by ionic exchange and without original counterions which generate different systems in comparison with the simple mixtures. In water, these new amphiphiles show similar or even better properties as surfactants in comparison with their precursors. Cations such as 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium and anions such as dioctyl sulfosuccinate or sodium dodecyl sulfate appear as the amphiphilic components most studied. In conclusion, this work shows interesting information on several promissory compounds and they appear as an interesting challenge to extend the application of ILs in the medical field.

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Ionic liquids (ILs) have received attention for many years due to them being very promising as green solvent substitutes, but they are not fully understood, especially their behavior dissolved in other solvents, for example, water. Thus, the goal of this contribution is to show insight into the different IL-water mixtures interaction. In this way, two protic ILs (PILs), ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) and 1-methylimidazolium acetate (MIA), mixed with water were investigated. To study the PILs-water interaction, the unique spectroscopical behavior in water of the molecular probe 4-aminophthalimide (4-AP) was used. 4-AP emission spectra show hypsochromic shifting by changing the excitation wavelength and, using time-resolved spectroscopy, can be detected by a blue shifting with time. Also, the water mixture of an aprotic IL, 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4), and three alcohols, methanol (MeOH), 2-propanol (2-PrOH), and t-butanol (t-BOH), were investigated for comparison. Our results show that the water-ILs interaction is dominated by the size of the IL components, in particular, the cation size. Thus, in MIA-water and bmimBF4-water mixtures, 4-AP is mostly solvated by the IL, even at a low IL molar fraction, as in the t-BOH-water mixture. This finding is especially interesting when ILs-water mixtures are used as a solvent in an organic reaction, where it may call attention to water probably not being the solvent that is interacting with the reactants.

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In this review, we deal with the formation and application of biocompatible water-in-oil microemulsions commonly known as reverse micelles (RMs). These RMs are extremely important to facilitate the dissolution of hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds for biocompatibility in applications in drug delivery, food science, and nanomedicine. The combination of two wisely chosen types of compounds such as biocompatible non-polar solvents and ionic liquids (ILs) with amphiphilic character (surface-active ionic liquids, SAILs) can be used to generate organized systems that perfectly align with the Green Chemistry concepts. Thus, we describe the current state of SAILs (protic and aprotic) to prepare RMs using non-polar but safe solvents such as esters derived from fatty acids, among others. Moreover, the use of the biocompatible solvents as the external phase in RMs and microemulsions/nanoemulsions with the other commonly used biocompatible surfactants is detailed showing the diversity of preparations and important applications. As shown by multiple examples, the properties of the RMs can be modified by changes in the type of surfactant and/or external solvents but a key fact to note is that all these modifications generate novel systems with dissimilar properties. These interesting properties cannot be anticipated or extrapolated, and deep analysis is always required. Finally, the works presented provide valuable information about the use of biocompatible RMs, making them a green and promising alternative toward efficient and sustainable chemistry.

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Herein, we report the effect of employing two different alcohols, such as n-pentanol and 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoro pentanol (from now on F-pentanol), into 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles (RMs), to determine the interfacial activity and establish the best candidate to act as a cosurfactant in supercritical RMs. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and fluorescence emission spectroscopy allowed us to determine and understand the behavior of alkanols in RMs. As a result, we found interesting displacements of alkanol molecules within the RMs, suggesting that the electrostatic interaction between SO3- and Na+ weakens because of new interactions of n-pentanol with SO3- through H-bonds, changing the curvature of the micellar interface. According to FT-IR and DLS studies, F-pentanol forms a RM polar core interacting through intermolecular H-bonds, suggesting no perturbations of the AOT RM interface. Hence, n-pentanol was selected as a cosurfactant to form supercritical RMs, which is confirmed by red edge excitation shift studies, using C343 as a molecular probe. Herein, we were able to create RMs under supercritical conditions without the presence of modified surfactants, fluorinated or multitailed compounds, which, to the best of our knowledge, was not shown before.

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The impact of the imidazolium counterion structure on the organized systems formed by the surfactant 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, AOT, both in aqueous solutions and in nonpolar solvents is investigated. With this in mind, we investigated if the ionic liquid-like (IL-like) surfactant 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, emim-AOT, forms direct micelles or vesicles in water. Dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, conductivity, fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy measurements were performed to characterize the organized systems in aqueous solutions. We also studied the self-aggregation of emim-AOT, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, bmim-AOT, and of 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate, hmim-AOT, in nonpolar solvents. The results obtained showed that the IL-like surfactant emim-AOT forms direct micelles in water, as sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (Na-AOT) does. However, emim-AOT aggregates are larger, have a lower surface charge, are more stable, and have a more polar and less fluid micellar interface than Na-AOT micelles. It was also observed that emim-AOT and hmim-AOT form reverse micelles in nonpolar solvents. The size of the imidazolium cations dramatically influences the size of the reverse micelles and their ability to solubilize water.

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The goal of this work is to understand the influence of the counterion nature on the organized systems formed by 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate surfactants in aqueous solutions and how these aggregates will influence the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-surfactant interactions. With this in mind, two ionic liquid-like surfactants were investigated: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (bmim-AOT) and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (hmim-AOT). Measurements of dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopy were performed to study the characteristics of the vesicles formed by bmim-AOT and hmim-AOT. Regarding the determination of the interaction of the surfactants with DNA, circular dichroism was used. The results obtained showed that bmim-AOT and hmim-AOT ionic liquid-like surfactants spontaneously form unilamellar vesicles in water at very low surfactant concentrations. The characteristics of these aggregates are dependent on the length of the tail of the counterions. The length of the hydrophobic chains of the counterions also influences the DNA-surfactant interactions through hydrophobic effects.

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The behavior of the interfacial water entrapped in reverse micelles (RMs) that were formed by the ionic liquid-like surfactant 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (bmim-AOT) was investigated with the use of UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry. The solvatochromism of two molecular probes, namely, 1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine (QB) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine copper(ii)acetylacetonate tetraphenylborate ([Cu(acac)(tmen)][B(C6H5)4]), was investigated. As a comparison, the analog RMs formed by sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (Na-AOT) were also explored. By varying the water content inside the RMs and consequently the different magnitude of the water-surfactant interactions at the interface, interesting properties were observed by comparing bmim-AOT and Na-AOT RMs. From the solvatochromic behavior of ([Cu(acac)(tmen)][B(C6H5)4]), we found that the interface in bmim-AOT RMs shows a smaller electron donating capacity than that in Na-AOT RMs. QB revealed that the interfacial region is a weaker hydrogen bond donor and less polar than the corresponding Na-AOT RMs. NMR experiments showed that the molecular motion of water in bmim-AOT RMs is less restricted than that of the water molecules confined in Na-AOT RMs. In summary, the results show how the nature of the bmim+ cation affects the interaction between the entrapped water and the RM interface, greatly modifying the interfacial water structure in comparison with the results known for Na-AOT.

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The effect of interfacial water entrapped in two types of catanionic reverse micelles (RMs) on the kinetic parameters of the SN2 reaction between dimethyl-4-nitrophenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate (S+) and n-butylamine (BuNH2) was explored. Two catanionic surfactants, composed of a mixture of oppositely charged ionic surfactants without their original counterions, were used to create the RMs. Thus, benzyl- n-hexadecyldimethylammonium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (BHD-AOT) and cetyltrimethylammonium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (CTA-AOT) were formed. Also, the well-known anionic surfactant sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (Na-AOT) was employed as a comparison. Our results showed an important catalytic-like effect of all RMs investigated in comparison with a water-benzene mixture, and the rate constant values depend on the type of surfactant used. Faster reaction in BHD-AOT RMs than in CTA-AOT and Na-AOT RMs was observed. This behavior was attributed to the strong interaction (by hydrogen bonding with AOT anion and ion-dipole interaction with BHD+) between the entrapped water and the BHD-AOT interface, which reduces the solvation capacity of water on S+. In CTA-AOT (and Na-AOT) RMs, the water-interface interaction is weaker and the electron pairs of water can solvate S+ ions. In summary, the chemical structure of the counterion on the catanionic surfactant alters the interfacial region, allowing the progress of a reaction inside the RMs to be controlled.

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The most critical problem regarding the use of reverse micelles (RMs) in several fields is the toxicity of their partial components. In this sense, many efforts have been made to characterize nontoxic RM formulations on the basis of biological amphiphiles and/or different oils. In this contribution, the microstructure of biocompatible mixed RMs formulated by sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) and tri- n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) surfactants dispersed in the friendly solvent methyl laurate was studied by using SAXS and 31P NMR and by following the solvatochromic behavior of the molecular probe 4-aminophthalimide (4-AP). The results indicated the presence of RM aggregates upon TOPO incorporation with a droplet size reduction and an increase in the interfacial fluidity in comparison with pure AOT RMs. When confined inside the mixed systems, 4-AP showed a red-edge excitation shift and confirmed the increment of interfacial fluidity upon TOPO addition. Also, the partition between the external nonpolar solvent and the RM interface and an increase in both the local micropolarity and the capability to form a hydrogen bond interaction between 4-AP and a mixed interface were observed. The findings have been explained in terms of the nonionic surfactant structure and its complexing nature expressed at the interfacial level. Notably, we show how two different approaches, i.e., SAXS and the solvatochromism of the probe 4-AP, can be used in a complementary way to enhance our understanding of the interfacial fluidity of RMs, a parameter that is difficult to measure directly.

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In the present work we show how two biocompatible solvents, methyl laurate (ML) and isopropyl myristate (IPM), can be used as a less toxic alternative to replace the nonpolar component in a sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles (RMs) formulation. In this sense, the micropolarity and the hydrogen-bond ability of the interface were monitored through the use of the solvatochromism of a molecular probe (1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine, QB) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our results demonstrate that the micropolarity sensed by QB in ML RMs is lower than in IPM RMs. Additionally, the water molecules form stronger H-bond interactions with the polar head of AOT in ML than in IPM. By FTIR was revealed that more water molecules interact with the interface in ML/AOT RMs. On the other hand, for AOT RMs generated in IPM, the weaker water-surfactant interaction allows the water molecules to establish hydrogen bonds with each other trending to bulk water more easily than in ML RMs, a consequence of the dissimilar penetration of nonpolar solvents into the interfacial region. The penetration process is strongly controlled by the polarity and viscosity of the external solvents. All of these results allow us to characterize these biocompatible systems, providing information about interfacial properties and how they can be altered by changing the external solvent. The ability of the nontoxic solvent to penetrate or not into the AOT interface produces a new interface with attractive properties.

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It is known that Chitosan (Ch) can be used in several applications, such as antimicrobial agent or as drug delivery agent. However, being its water dispersibility very low at physiological pH it is necessary to find a way to improve it. One attractive strategy is to synthesize Chitosan Nanoparticles (Ch-NPs). In this work, a versatile method to obtain Ch-NPs with different and controlled sizes, that were successfully prepared by cross-linking reaction of glutaraldehyde and native chitosan inside of n-heptane/sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/water reverse micelles (RMs) is presented. Highly monodisperse NPs were synthesized as confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The particle size was dependent on the reactants concentration, cross-linking degree and mainly the amount of water inside of the AOT RMs used as nanoreactors. While the cross-linking is quite difficult to control in bulk water, the reaction inside the RMs is more manageable and efficient.

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In this work, we have explored how the confinement of the protic ionic liquid (IL) ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) inside toluene/benzyl-n-hexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC) reverse micelles (RMs) affects the Cl(-) nucleophilicity on the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction between this anion and dimethyl-4-nitrophenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report where toluene/BHDC RMs use EAN as a polar component and it is used as a nanoreactor for carrying out kinetic experiments. Dynamic light scattering results reveal the formation of RMs containing the protic IL. The kinetic results show that upon confinement, EAN becomes a suitable solvent for the SN2 reaction while in homogeneous media it is a bad option. Entrapped in BHDC RMs, due to the strong hydrogen bond interactions, EAN behaves as an aprotic-like IL which cannot deactivate the nucleophilic power of Cl(-) and yet increases the substrate solubility. These facts show the versatility of this kind of organized system to alter the polar solvent entrapped and its influence on the reaction rate when it is used as a nanoreactor.

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The limited amount of information about reverse micelles (RMs) made with gemini surfactants, the effect of the n-alcohols in their interface, and the water-entrapped structure in the polar core motivated us to perform this work. Thus, in the present contribution, we use dynamic light scattering (DLS), static light scattering (SLS), and FT-IR techniques to obtain information on RMs structure created, with the gemini dimethylene-1,2-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium) bromide (G12-2-12) surfactant and compare the results with its monomer: dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). In this way, the size of the aggregates formed in different nonpolar organic solvents, the effect of the chain length of n-alcohols used as cosurfactants, and the water-entrapped structure were explored. The data show that the structure of the cosurfactant needed to stabilize the RMs plays a fundamental role, affecting the size and behavior of the aggregates. In contrast to what happens with the RMs formed with the monomer DTAB, water entrapped inside G12-2-12 RMs displays different interaction with the interface depending on the hydrocarbon chain length of the n-alcohol used as cosurfactant. Thus, n-pentanol and n-octanol molecules are located in different regions in the RMs interfaces formed with the gemini surfactant. n-Octanol locates at the RMs interface among the surfactant hydrocarbon tails increasing the water-surfactant polar headgroup interaction. On the other hand, n-pentanol locates at the RMs interface near the polar core, limiting the interaction of water with the micellar inner interface and favoring the water-water interaction in the polar core.

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The behavior of the interfacial water entrapped in reverse micelles (RMs) formed by the ionic liquid-like surfactant 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (bmim-AOT) dissolved in benzene (or chlorobenzene) was investigated using noninvasive techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), static light scattering (SLS), FT-IR and (1)H NMR. The DLS and SLS results reveal the formation of discrete spherical and non-interacting water droplets stabilized by the bmim-AOT surfactant. Moreover, since the droplet size increases as the W0 (W0 = [water]/[surfactant]) value increases, water interacts with the RM interface. From FT-IR and (1)H NMR data, a weaker water-surfactant interaction in bmim-AOT RMs in comparison with the RMs created by sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (Na-AOT) is detected. Consequently, there are less water molecules interacting with the interface in bmim-AOT RMs, and their hydrogen bond network is not completely disrupted as they are in Na-AOT RMs. The results show how the nature of the new cation impacts the interaction between the entrapped water and the RM interface, modifying the interfacial water structure in comparison with the results known for Na-AOT.

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In this work was explored how the confinement of two ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (bmimCl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4), inside toluene/benzyl-n-hexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC) reverse micelles (RMs) affects the Cl(-) nucleophilicity on the bimolecular nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reaction between this anion and dimethyl-4-nitrophenylsulfonium trifluoromethanesulfonate. The results obtained show that, upon confinement, the ionic interactions between the ILs with the cationic surfactant polar head group and the surfactant counterion modify substantially the performance of both ILs as solvents. In toluene/BHDC/bmimCl RMs, the Cl(-) interacts strongly with bmim(+) (and/or BHD(+)) in such a way that its nucleophilicity is reduced in comparison with neat IL. In toluene/BHDC/bmimBF4 RMs, an ionic exchange equilibrium produces segregation of bmim(+) and BF4(-) ions, changing the composition of the RMs interface and affecting dramatically the Cl(-) availability. These results show the versatility of this kind of organized system to alter the ionic organization and influence on reaction rate when used as nanoreactors.

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In this work we report for the first time the formation of two reverse micelle (RM) media produced by the nonionic surfactant tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) in n-heptane and the one produced by mixing the anionic sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT) with different TOPO contents dissolved in n-heptane. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments reveal the formation of water/TOPO/n-heptane RMs (TOPO RMs) and water/AOT:TOPO/n-heptane RMs (mixed RMs) since the droplet sizes increase as the water content increases. The addition of TOPO to the system at constant W0 (W0 = [water]/([AOT] + [TOPO])) causes the droplet sizes of mixed RMs to decrease compared with the AOT RMs. In addition, the decrease is larger when the water content is low (W0 = 0.5) but the effect is negligible at the maximum W0 value analyzed (W0 = 2). These results are not expected for mixtures of different nonionic surfactants with AOT and were explained considering the unique TOPO structure. Thus, at W0 = 0.5, we suggest that the percentage of TOPO molecules at the mixed RM interface is higher than those corresponding to the bulk solution. On the other hand, at W0 = 2 the RM interface is comprised mainly of AOT molecules. The FT-IR experiments performed by monitoring monodeuterated water frequency (ν(OD)) in TOPO RMs show bound and "bulk-like" water structure even at very low water content. On the other hand, for mixed RMs the water structure depends on the water content. At low W0 value, there are two kinds of water molecules, and at W0 value around 2 only bound water exists. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) experiments performed on the symmetric (ν(s)SO3) and asymmetric (ν(a)SO3) sulfonate stretching bands of AOT reveal the existence of a strong Na(+)˙TOPO complex in the mixed RMs. The results show that adding TOPO to form mixed surfactant RMs with AOT reduces their size, changes the nature of water to have a "bulk-like" character and diminishes the ion pairing of the sulfonate group with Na(+).

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In this contribution we show the effect of the surfactant polar head and the external solvent on the incorporation of different cyclodextrins (CDs) {α-CD, ß-CD, γ-CD, decenylsuccinyl-ß-CD (Mod-ß-CD), and hydroxypropyl-ß-CD (hp-ß-CD)} in different reverse micelles (RMs) {benzene/sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate(AOT)/water, and benzene/benzyl-n-hexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC)/water} and compare them with previous results obtained in n-heptane/AOT/water RMs. To investigate the different systems, we have used UV-vis spectrophotometry, induced circular dichroism spectroscopy (ICD), and the achiral molecular probe methyl orange (MO). The results show dramatic differences changing the external solvent and the surfactant, which are explained by considering the differences in the RMs interface composition, the water-surfactant interaction, and the CDs' location in the different media investigated. None of the CDs were incorporated into the benzene/AOT/water RMs at any [H2O]/[surfactant] ratio studied (W0) whereas it was previously shown that Mod-ß-CD and hp-ß-CD could be included in n-heptane/AOT/water RMs. However, all of the CDs are incorporated in benzene/BHDC/water RMs at W0 > 10 and hp-ß-CD is dissolved even at W0 = 0. Different from what was found in n-heptane/AOT RMs, in BHDC RMs MO showed ICD signals with two different CDs: Mod-ß-CD and hp-ß-CD. The results are explained by considering the known difference in the interfacial water structure for AOT and BHDC RMs and the electron-rich region on the secondary hydroxyl (wider side of the CDs), which helps to solubilize all CDs in BHDC. This study shows that chiral cyclodextrin could be available for a guest in an organic medium such as the RMs. Therefore we have created a potentially powerful nanoreactor with two different confined regions in the same aggregate: the polar core of the RMs and the chiral hydrophobic cavity of cyclodextrin.

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The behavior of two ionic liquids (ILs) with high electron donor ability such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (bmimTfO) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoroacetate (bmimTfA) entrapped in anionic and cationic reverse micelles (RMs) was investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and FT-IR spectroscopy. The systems studied were chlorobenzene/sodium 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/bmimTfO, chlorobenzene/AOT/bmimTfA, chlorobenzene/benzyl-n-hexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC)/bmimTfO and chlorobenzene/BHDC/bmimTfA. DLS results reveal the formation of RMs containing bmimTfO and bmimTfA as polar components since the droplet size values increase as Ws (Ws = [IL]/[surfactant]) increases. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report where it is shown that both ILs are entrapped by AOT and BHDC surfactants to effectively create RMs. Furthermore, it is shown that the RMs consist of discrete spherical and non-interacting droplets of IL stabilized by the surfactants. The larger droplet size values and the larger changes obtained for bmimTfO entrapped in AOT and BHDC RMs in comparison with those for bmimTfA in both RMs can be explained considering the different IL-surfactant interactions. The FT-IR results suggest that the ionic interactions (with the surfactant polar head groups, surfactant counterions or with the IL counterions) are substantially modified upon confinement. These interactions produce segregation of ILs's ions altering the composition of the RM interfaces. These facts show the versatility of this kind of organized systems to alter the ionic organization, information that can be very important if these media are used as nanoreactors because unique microenvironments can be easily created simply changing the RM components and Ws.

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The reverse micelle (RM) media are very good as nanoreactors because they can create a unique microenvironment for carrying out a variety of chemical and biochemical reactions. The aim of the present work is to determine the influence of different water-dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) mixtures encapsulated in 1,4-bis-2-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-heptane RMs on the enzymatic hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine p-nitroanilide (Bz-Try-pNA) by α-chymotrypsin (α-CT). The reaction was first studied in homogeneous media at different DMSO-water mixture compositions and in DMSO-water/AOT/n-heptane RMs. The hydrolysis rates of Bz-Try-pNA catalyzed by α-CT were determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. The reaction follows the Michaelis-Menten mechanism and the kinetic parameters: kcat, KM, and kcat/KM were evaluated under different conditions. In this homogeneous media, DMSO plays an important role in the solubilization process of the peptide which is almost insoluble in water, but it has a tremendous impact on the inactivation of α-CT. It is shown that the enzyme dissolved in a 20% molar ratio of the DMSO-water mixture does not present enzymatic activity. Dynamic light scattering has been used to assess the formation of DMSO-water/AOT/heptane RMs at different DMSO compositions. The results also show that there is preferential solvation of the AOT RM interface by water molecules. To test the use of these RMs as nanoreactors, the kinetic parameters for the enzymatic reaction in these systems have been evaluated. The parameters were determined at fixed W(S) {W(S) = ([water] + [DMSO])/[AOT] = 20} at different DMSO-water compositions. The results show that the Michaelis-Menten mechanism is valid for α-CT in all the RM systems studied and that the reaction takes place at the RM interface. Surprisingly, it was observed that the enzyme encapsulated by the RMs show catalytic effects with similar kcat/KM values at any DMSO composition investigated, which evidence that DMSO molecules are localized far from the RM interface.

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In this work, we have investigated the behavior of 4-aminophthalimide (4-AP) in solvent mixtures of ethyl lactate (EL)- water and EL-n-heptane and in reversed micelles (RMs) media made of EL-water/sodium 1,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT)/n-heptane. We have used dynamics light scattering (DLS) and absorption, steady-state and time-resolved emission (TRES) techniques. 4-AP is a very interesting and unique molecule used to study preferential solvation in water mixtures since its emission profile changes dramatically when its sphere shell is solvated by water molecules. Thus, in homogeneous media 4-AP is strongly solvated by water in the EL-water mixture and by EL in the EL-n-heptane mixture, results that show the importance of the hydrogen bonding in the 4-AP solvation. We were motivated by this feature of 4-AP and have used it to monitor properties in AOT RMs. Thus, we use 4-AP spectroscopic behavior in conjunction with DLS technique to reveal the location of each polar solvent of the mixture encapsulated within the RMs media. We found that in the EL-water/AOT/n-heptane RMs the results strongly depend on the amount of water dissolved. Below W0 = [water]/[AOT] = 5, there are no reversed micelles and EL, water, AOT and n-heptane forms a nonstructured mixture. For W0 values between 5 and 10, the droplet sizes are independent of the EL content because of its strong intermolecular interactions forms an EL polar core and only water is found at the interface. For W0 values higher than 10, the droplets size increase with the EL content and EL molecules are detected at the AOT RMs interface. We inferred that the RMs sizes will change only if the polar solvent encapsulated interacts with the interface changing the surfactant packing parameter. Then, we can assume that it is possible to create RMs with solvents that do not interact with the interface but can be encapsulated in the polar core. These results, give evidence that expand the knowledge about which are the factors that determine when RMs droplet sizes changes with the polar solvent content, giving insights that will help to control the sizes of the AOT RMs. This will open diverse avenues since RMs are interesting nanoreactors for heterogeneous chemistry, templates for nanoparticles and models for electron transfer reaction that happens in membranes.