This work describes the synthesis at multigramme scale of a new family of geminal cationic type Nα - acylarginine surfactants, composed by two symmetric residues of Nα -acyl-L-arginine (10 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain) joined by amide bonds through a α, ω alkandiamine of variable length, between 2 and 10 methylene groups. The reaction has been carried out in four steps: a) protection of arginine side chain with nitro group; b) acylation of nitro-arginine with fatty acids; c) condensation of acylnitroarginine derivatives to alkanamine by means of BOP method and d) lack of protection of nitro function by catalytic hydrogenation.

Peer reviewed