Mohammed Hassan^1,2,*,, Sadeq M. Al-Hazmi^2,, Ibrahim A. Alhagri^2,3,, Ahmed N. Alhakimi^2,3,, Adnan Dahadha^4,, Mohammad Al-Dhoun^1, and Yazan Batineh¹

¹Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University, Amman, Jordan

²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ibb University, Ibb, Yemen

³Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia

⁴Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Science, Philadelphia University, Amman, Jordan

*Corresponding author: E-mail: msaleh@philadelphi.edu.jo; m-hassan@ibbunev.edu.ye

Micellar catalysis exhibited by mixed surfactant systems and gemini surfactants was reviewed. The review focused on mixed surfactant systems and tried to correlate the changes in the physico-chemical properties of these systems to the variations of their catalytic activities. Mixed surfactant systems are promising as the catalytic efficiency of some single surfactants was significantly enhanced in the presence of other critically selected surfactants. The selection should consider the charge, size, and structures of the head group as well as an appropriate length of hydrocarbon tail. The overall conclusion has arrived the mixed surfactant systems could be a tool by which the reaction rate can be tuned by changing the composition and/or the components’ structures. The higher catalytic activity of gemini surfactants compared to conventional ones, their facile synthesis and liability for structure control made them of superior choice for micellar catalysis.

Micellar catalysis, Mixed surfactant system, Gemini surfactants, Reaction rate control.