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A combined CSD and experimental study shows that the ring stacking and laddering principle, an ionic model, gives insight into the crystal structures of secondary ammonium carboxylate salts.

Gaining external control over self‐organization is of vital importance for future smart materials. Surfactants are extremely valuable for the synthesis of diverse nanomaterials. Their self‐assembly is dictated by microphase separation, the hydrophobic effect, and head‐group repulsion. It is desirable to supplement surfactants with an added mode of long‐range and directional interaction. Magnetic forces are ideal, as they are not shielded in water. We report on surfactants with heads containing tightly bound transition‐metal centers. The magnetic moment of the head was varied systematically while keeping shape and charge constant. Changes in the magnetic moment of the head led to notable differences in surface tension, aggregate size, and contact angle, which could also be altered by an external magnetic field. The most astonishing result was that the use of magnetic surfactants as structure‐directing agents enabled the formation of porous solids with 12‐fold rotational symmetry.

a b s t r a c t Keywords:Self-assembly Polyoxometalates Organic-inorganic hybrids Amphiphiles Janus particles Amphiphiles and surfactants are indispensable compounds in industry, scientific research and everyday life, such as emulsification agents, detergents, etc. The vast majority of currently used amiphiphiles are organic in nature, and are composed of two molecular parts joined together, one hydrophilic and one hydrophobic. The current article highlights some of the recent developments in the emerging field of hybrid amphiphiles, focusing on systems with at least one inorganic constituent. Different classes of amphiphiles can be defined, depending on if the inorganic entity is molecular or has particle character, and depending on the strength of interaction between the inorganic and organic phase. It is seen that in addition to typical amphiphilic properties, most importantly the formation of self assembled structures like micelles or lyotropic liquid crystals, the hybrid amphiphiles exhibit additional, functional features like special magnetic or catalytic properties. Ultimately, systemic features can be observed, leading to the emergence of new properties which none of the constituents of hybrid amphiphile could have on its own.

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