TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Compounds: The furanyl compound is of formula (ia) (preferably 2-dodecylfuran or 2-octadecylfuran). The maleimide compound is of formula (iia) (preferably N-(4-sodium sulfophenyl)maleimide). Preferred Components: The polar organic solvent is selected from water, methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, tert-butanol, glyme, diglyme, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile, dimethylsulfoxide, N,N-dimethylfuran, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and/or N-methylpyrridinone (preferably N,N-dimethylformamide). Preferred Method: The step (ii) is carried out at (30-55, preferably 40-55, especially 45-55, particularly 50-55) degrees C. Preferred Definitions:    L=-aryl-, -(8-30C)alkyl-, or -(6-20C)haloalkyl-;    M=H, Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs;    L1=a bond, or -(1-4C)alkyl-O-;    R'=-(8-30C)alkyl, or -(6-20C)haloalkyl;    m=1 or 2.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - Preparation of exo-4-octadecyl-7-oxabicyclo(2.2.1)hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxy-N-(4-sodium sulfophenyl)imide of formula (Ia), and exo-4-octadecyl-7-oxabicyclo(2.2.1)hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxy-N-(4-sodium sulfophenyl)imide; is disclosed as the compound (I).    EXAMPLE - To a solution of N-(4-sodium sulfophenyl)maleimide 1 (6.12 g) in dimethylformamide (DMF) (40 ml) was added 2-dodecylfuran 2 (26.3 g). The reaction was allowed to stir at 50 degrees C until 1H NMR showed consumption of the maleimide starting material. The reaction was then concentrated to dryness and the residue was washed with petroleum ether until excess 2-dodecylfuran 2 was removed to yield exo-4-dodecyl-7-oxabicyclo(2.2.1)hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxy-N-(4-sodium sulfophenyl)imide (Ia) (10.7 g, 94%) as a tan solid. The surfactant (Ia) was then evaluated for Retro-Diels-Alder (DA) degradation via surface tension. The surfactant was found to undergo the retro-DA reaction after exposure to elevated temperatures. To determine the effect of temperature on surface tension as a measurement of surfactant degradation, solution of the surfactant in water (10 mM; 2 x critical micelle concentration (cmc) as determined by surface tensiometry) was prepared. It was observed that the surfactant possessed different rates of degradation based on the temperatures to which it was exposed. Additional measurements to determine the effect of temperature on the rate of surfactant dissociation and loss of surface active properties were conducted on 10 mM solutions of the surfactant (Ia). It was observed that the temperature at which the samples were elevated to, had a dramatic impact on the rate at which the surface active properties were lost in the solutions. At the highest temperature, 95 degrees C; there was a loss of all surface activity and the surface tension was that of water within 1 hour of exposure. At the lowest temperature monitored, 55 degrees C; it took over 30 hours of exposure to eliminate surface activity. All of the surface tension measurements of the cleaved samples were taken after the samples had cooled to ambient conditions, and provided convincing evidence that the dissociation accompanying the retro DA was irreversible in micelles.