Lipopeptidic surfactants: I. Neutral N‐lauroyl‐I‐arginine dipeptides from pure amino acids

Neutral Nα‐lauroyl‐dipeptides such as Nα‐lauroyl arginylglycine and Nα‐lauroyl‐arginylphenylalanine as methyl ester (cationic surfactants) and free acid (amphoteric surfactants) derivatives have been prepared by synthetic methods. Fundamental surfactant properties and antimicrobial activity have been evaluated. The properties of these compounds have been compared to the properties of the monomer derivatives Nα‐lauroyl‐arginine methyl ester (cationic) and Nα‐lauroyl‐arginine (amphoteric). These new molecules are very soluble in water, good surfactants, and exhibit a good antimicrobial activity, independently of their ionic character.