ABSTRACT
Metallomicellar catalysis is a micellar catalytic process that has a greater effect on the rate of a reaction in the presence than in the absence of metal ions. Metal ions, commonly known as Lewis acids, are general acids. If the rate of a reaction is sensitive to general acid catalysis, the metal ions, under the appropriate reaction conditions such as medium polarity, pH, etc., can catalyze the rate of such a reaction. Metal-ion-catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphate or carboxylate esters may be due to (1) coordination of metal ion to P = O or C = O group (Lewis acid or general acid or electrophilic catalysis), (2) charge neutralization, (3) activation of a nucleophilic water molecule by the decrease of its pK
(nucleophilic catalysis), and (4) energetically assisted departure of a leaving group (general acid catalysis).
