A series of atypical asymmetric gemini surfactants with an amphiphilic carbonate group (–O–CO–O–) have been prepared. Some of these compounds could self-assemble in water into gourd-shaped Janusparticles (JPs). Initial results suggested that the formation of JPs was highly likely to be related to their atypical gemini surfactant structure. To our knowledge, this is the first report on JPs that are