Monocatenary, branched, double-headed, and bolaform surface active carbohydrate esters via photochemical thiol-ene/-yne reactions

- Light-induced thiol-ene/yne reactions produced a series of new glycosurfactants.
- Surface tension and CMC vary with the number and position of sugars in the surfactants.
- Area occupied at the interface per carbohydrate molecule correlates with its structure.
- The present glycosurfactants from thiol-ene are more flexible than glucose analogues from Huisgen addition.