The ternary complex kinetic model for metallomicellar catalysis has been proposed in this paper. The catalytic effects of bivalent metal ion (Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+) complexes of long alkyl pyridine ligands upon the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl picolinate (PNPP) have been studied kinetically in aqueous buffer of pH ranging from 5.0 to 8.5 at 30 degrees C, The effect of pH on the reactivity is discussed. The results indicate that the metallomicelles formed by pyridine ligands promote the hydrolysis of PNPP, and the order is Cu(II) system > Ni(II) system > Zn(II) system. A stereochemical modification of the complex in the CTAB micelle is suggested as a likely explanation for the observed phenomena.