Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Three New Cationic Surfactants

Three new biodegradable cationic surfactants have been successfully synthesized and the synthesis begins with the esterification of lauric acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid with triethanolamine followed by quarterisation with 1-bromo octane. FT-IR and NMR were used in combination to evaluate the structure of the synthesized surfactants. Elementary analysis was performed and the calculated values were in good agreement with the theoretical values. The antimicrobial effect of three surfactants was evaluated by the Well diffusion assay method and they revealed a good effectivness against gram negative bacteria, gram positive bacteria and fungi.