Three surface-active 2-pyridinium alkanoates, 2-pyridinium dodecanoate, tetradecanoate, and hexadecanoate, have been synthesized and characterized. Their physical properties investigated include decomposition and Krafft points, pK, of the conjugate acids, and ultraviolet absorption. From surface tension measurements on aqueous solutions of the compounds at 25 OC, critical micelle concentrations (cmc), surface excess concentrations, ...