Synthesis of aspartic acid-based bifurcated tripeptide surfactants

Amino acid-based surfactants (AABS) are amphipathic molecules composed of an amino acid-based polar headgroup and nonpolar hydrocarbon chain. Surfactants, the truncated name for surface-active agents, are molecules that decrease surface tension. It is this property, along with their amphipathic structure, that imbues surfactants with useful properties, such as encapsulating other compounds and emulsifying insoluble phases. AABS are of particular interest, as they incorporate amino acids, which are the building blocks of life. The incorporation of amino acids as the polar headgroup thus improves bioavailability and biodegradability, thereby increasing the applications of this subset of surfactants. The objective of this study is to synthesize and characterize a group of novel tripeptide bifurcated AABS with aspartic acid as the central amino acid at the polar headgroup.