A compound containing a large organic cation or anion which possesses a long unbranched hydrocarbon chain, e.g.
H3C(CH2)nCO2-M+H3C(CH2)nSO3-M+H3C(CH2)nN(CH3)3+X-(n > 7).
The existence of distinct polar (hydrophilic) and non polar (hydrophobic) regions in the molecule promotes the formation of micelles in dilute aqueous solution.
