Method for the production of surface active agent mixtures
View Patent ↗An aqueous surfactant mixture comprised of an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside ether carboxylic acid is made by a process comprising reacting in an aqueous solution an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside and an ω-halocarboxylic acid or a salt or ester thereof in the presence of alkali.
1. A process for the production of an aqueous surfactant mixture comprised of an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside ether carboxylic acid comprising reacting in an aqueous solution, in the absence of an organic solvent, an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside and an ω-halocarboxylic acid or a salt or ester thereof in the presence of alkali to form an aqueous surfactant mixture comprised of an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside ether carboxylic acid.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside is a compound of the formula (I):
R 1 O[G] p (I)
wherein R 1 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms, G is a sugar unit having 5 or 6 carbon atoms and p is a number of from 1 to 10.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the ω-halocarboxylic acid salt is sodium monochloroacetate.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside to the ω-halocarboxylic, salt or ester thereof is from 1:0.5 to 1:3.5.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein the molar ratio is from 1:1 to 1:2.
6. The process of claim 4 wherein the molar ratio is from 1:0.5 to 1:1.5.
7. The process of claim 4 wherein the molar ratio is from 1:1 to 1:1.3.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of from 50 to 100° C.
9. The process of claim 1 wherein water is the only reaction solvent.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside in the aqueous solution is up to 70% by weight.
11. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing an amount of water such that the residual water content is 5% or less by weight.