Stabilized hemiacetal complexes as precursors for the controlled release of bioactive volatile alcohols

Abstract

Hemiacetals of pyridine-2-carbaldehyde derivatives and volatile alcohols can be stabilized in organic solution in the presence of protons or different metal cations. Despite the inherent instability of hemiacetals in H(2) O, stabilizing them with zinc(II) triflate and adding them to a cationic surfactant formulation resulted in the slow release of the alcohol from cotton surfaces being treated with the hemiacetal complex. Stabilized hemiacetals might thus be suitable delivery systems of bioactive volatiles by rapid hydrolysis in H(2) O-based media.