Effect of Alkali Metal Cations on the Unilamellar Vesicle of a Squalene Bearing 18-Crown-6.

Squalene bearing 18-crown-6 was synthesized and formed unilamellar vesicles with a membrane thickness of about 6 nm and a diameter of about 0.32 μm. In the wake of the recognition of alkali metal cations, squalene unilamellar vesicles become larger as multilamellar vesicles or smaller while maintaining unilamellar vesicles depending on cations.