Hydrophilic carotenoids: facile syntheses of carotenoid oxime hydrochlorides as long-chain, highly unsaturated cationic (bola)amphiphiles.

Stable cationic carotenoid aggregates - predominantly of the J-type - develop when the hydrochlorides of carotenoid aldoximes and ketoximes are exposed to water. The oxime hydrochlorides are obtained by simple syntheses from commercially available food color carotenoids. Bluish-purple, unstable transient compounds were observed during hydrochlorination performed at liquid nitrogen temperature.