Mini-review: Synthetic methods for the production of cationic sugar-based surfactants

Abstract

Surfactants are ubiquitously used and are currently indispensable in our daily life. However, the increased surfactant production has given rise to some environmental and health concerns making it imperative to look for new sustainable and viable alternatives. Sugar based surfactants, sourced from renewable sources are an excellent candidate to solve this problem. This class of surfactants has been developed in the last years, however, of these, cationic sugar-based surfactants have been the least studied which is unfortunate as they have excellent properties when compared to the other type of surfactants, such as antimicrobial activity, and high environmental and dermatological biocompatibility. These properties making them useful not only in disinfectant products but other applications as well such as for gene delivery. Therefore, the develop new methods to produce these compounds, preferably with sustainable synthetic procedures is of utmost importance. This is the first review on this topic and compiles and describes the available synthetic methods to produced cationic sugar-based surfactants with one single chain and geminis published so far.