Polymerizable monolayers derived from crown ether surfactants

Starting from dibenzo-18-crown-6, 1,10-diaza-18-crown-6 and 1,7-diaza-15-crown-5, several crown ether surfactants were synthesized. They all form stable monolayers on water. The methacryloyloxy derivative of 1,10-bis(3-dodecyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl)-1,10-diaza-18-crown-6, 2c , could be polymerized in the monolayer by UV irradiation. This polymerizable crown ether surfactant also forms synthetic vesicles by sonication in water.