ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS OF A p-NITROPHENYL ESTER CATALYZED BY PROTEIN–SURFACTANT COMPLEXES

Abstract

The large enhancement in the rate of alkaline hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl hexanoate in aqueous solutions of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide in the presence of bovine serum albumin was found. A maximum in the rate enhancement appeared in the vicinity of the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. It was suggested that the rate enhancement was attributable to the formation of protein–surfactant complexes providing a new pseudo-phase for the reaction.