Interactions and reactions of monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers with compounds in the bulk phase.

Studies performed on the interactions and reactions of compounds in the bidimensional state, essentially in monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers, with substances in the aqueous subphase are reported. More precisely, the following is illustrated: (i) interactions between acid amphiphiles and prevalently bivalent ions placed in the aqueous support and between compounds capable of functioning like ion carriers in monolayers and ions in the subphase, in order to build mimetic membranes capable of selective ion transport; and the complexation of amphiphiles in monolayer with ions in the bulk liquid phase, in order to build chemical sensors to ions; (ii) the reactions of photoinduced electron transfer between a partner in mono- or multimolecular films and a partner in the subphase, which may determine the fundamental parameters and the differences with the same reactions in the bulk phase; and (iii) the reactions of enzymatic hydrolysis between the monolayer of a glyceride, which constitutes the reaction support, and the enzyme in the liquid bulk phase, which constitutes the subphase. The mechanism of the reactions and its inhibition are clarified. To conclude, possible future developments connected with the areas studied are examined.