A "poly-bolyte" containing 11 C-22 chains interconnected by 10 catechol units possessing water-solublizing sulfonate groups was synthesized and studied for its solubility, surface activity, dye adsorption, NMR, dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, calorimetry, and effect on phospholipid bilayers. The amphiphile was not surface active, formed polydisperse vesicles at low concentrations, and did not disrupt phospholipid vesicles, in contrast to a conventional monomeric surfactant of similar structure. The polybolyte is one of a growing number of examples whereby synthetic chemistry is expanding the scope of colloid chemistry.