Alkaline hydrolysis reactions of sodium barbital in micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate (the anionic surfactant SDS), micelles of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (the cationic surfactant CTAB), and mixed micelles of surfactant/n-C₅H₁₁OH/H₂O were studied by ultraviolet-visible spectrometry. The reaction rate and the activation energy of the hydrolysis of sodium barbital were calculated. The results showed that the rate of sodium barbital hydrolysis decreased with an increase in CTAB content, whereas it increased in the presence of SDS and n-C₅H₁₁OH. The different effects of CTAB and SDS on the hydrolysis of sodium barbital may be related to their interaction with sodium barbital.