The syntheses of three ligands are reported: N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3-propylene-diamine (1), N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-hydroxyethyl)1,10-decadiamine (2), N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,4-xylyldiamine (3). The catalytic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl picolinate (PNPP) by the bivalent metal ion Cu(II) complexes of these ligands was studied kinetically in a buffered CTAB or Brij35 micellar solutions at 25 degreesC and different pH values. The results indicate that 1:2 and 2:1 complexes of these ligands and metal ion are the active species for the catalytic hydrolysis of PNPP in CATB and Brij35 micellar solutions. The ternary complex kinetic model for metallomicellar catalysis was employed to obtain the relative kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. The effects of the structure of the ligands and the microenvironment of reaction on the hydrolytic reaction of PNPP have been discussed in detail. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.