The influence of cholesterol on the generation of radicals in mixed reverse micelles of cationic surfactants with hydroperoxides

Cationic surfactants (S+) and acetylcholine (ACh), the most important neurotransmitter playing an essential role in the neuromuscular and cognitive activity of living beings, form mixed reverse micelles with hydroperoxides (ROOH) in organic media, where ROOH decay into free radicals is catalytically accelerated. Adding cholesterol (Chol, 30 mol.%) to pyridinium (СРВ) and cetyltimethylammonioum (СТАВ) bromides, reduces the radical generation rate in ROOH catalytic decay several times. However, a higher radical initiation rate is observed in the case of less ordered and larger ACh–ROOH reverse micelles. A Chol additive does not essentially affect the size of СТАВ and СРВ micelles with hydroperoxides but results in their decrease in the case of ACh–ROOH.