PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF ALKOXYLATES COMPOSITIONS

1 - 25 . (canceled)

26 . A process for the preparation of a mixture (I) comprising:

an aryl aliphatic carbinol alkoxylate of formula (A):

wherein:

R is an aliphatic radical having from 4 to 24 carbon atoms;

Z is an alkoxylate unit of general formula —(Y—O)— wherein Y is a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and 50≥m1≥2;

Ar is an aryl radical;

a dialiphatic carbinol alkoxylate of formula (B):

wherein

R is the same as above;

Z′ is an alkoxylate unit of general formula —(Y′—O)— wherein Y′ is a divalent hydrocarbon radical containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms wherein Z′ can be the same as Z or can be different from Z and 50≥m2≥2

said process comprising the steps of:

a) performing a catalytic decarboxylative cross-ketonisation of aryl- and aliphatic carboxylic acids comprising the steps of:

i) providing a mixture containing:

an aryl carboxylic acid of formula

wherein Ar is the same as defined above;

an aliphatic carboxylic acid of formula

wherein R is the same as defined above;

a catalyst;

ii) heating the mixture at a temperature sufficient to form mixture (III) comprising a dialiphatic ketone of formula (F)

wherein R is the same as defined above

and an aryl aliphatic ketone of formula (G)

wherein R and Ar are the same as defined above;

b) subjecting mixture (III) to a hydrogenation step in the presence of a base to form mixture (II) comprising:

an aryl aliphatic carbinol of formula (D):

wherein

R is an aliphatic radical having from 4 to 24 carbon atoms;

Ar is an aryl radical;

a dialiphatic carbinol of formula (E):

wherein R is the same as defined above;

c) subjecting mixture (II) to an alkoxylation step to form mixture (I);

wherein step a) of performing the catalytic decarboxylative cross-ketonisation of aryl- and aliphatic carboxylic acids comprises the steps of:

i) providing a mixture containing:

the aryl carboxylic acid;

the aliphatic carboxylic acid;

a metal-containing compound;

in which the number of moles of the metal in the mixture is at least equal to 90% of the sum of the number of moles of aryl carboxylic acid and the number of moles of aliphatic carboxylic acid divided by the valency of the metal

said mixture being free of any added solvent;

ii) heating the mixture at a temperature sufficient to form metal carboxylates;

iii) further heating the mixture at a temperature sufficient to form the dialiphatic ketone of formula (F) and the aryl aliphatic ketone of formula (G);

iv) adding to the reaction mixture of step iii):

aryl carboxylic acid in an amount which corresponds substantially to the amount of aryl carboxylic acid consumed during the formation of the aryl aliphatic ketone in step iii);

aliphatic carboxylic acid in an amount which corresponds substantially to the amount of aliphatic carboxylic acid consumed during the formation of the aryl aliphatic ketone and the dialiphatic ketone in step iii);

maintaining the mixture at a temperature sufficient to continue forming the dialiphatic ketone and the aryl aliphatic ketone;

v) optionally repeating step iv).

27 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein in mixture (I) the weight of the dialiphatic carbinol alkoxylate of formula (B) based on the total weight of the aryl aliphatic carbinol alkoxylate of formula (A) and of the dialiphatic carbinol alkoxylate of formula (B), ranges from 2% to 20%.

28 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein in mixture (I), the aliphatic radical is an alkyl radical.

29 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein:

the polyalkoxylated chain —Z m1 — has formula (C) where 0≤x≤20; 0≤y≤20 and 2≤x+y≤40;

the polyalkoxylated chain —Z′ m2 — has formula (C′) where 0≤x′≤20; 0≤y′≤20 and 2≤x′+y′≤40;

30 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid (C 8 ), capric acid (C 10 ), lauric acid (C 12 ), myristic acid (C 14 ), palmitic acid (C 16 ), oleic and stearic acids (C 18 ).

31 . The process according to claim 26 , wherein the aryl carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, toluic acid, furoic acid, nicotinic acid, thiophenecarboxylic acid, 2-mesitylenecarboxylic acid, isopropylbenzoic acid, chlorobenzoic acid, fluorobenzoic acid, trifluoromethylbenzoic acid, methoxybenzoic acid, naphthoic acid, anthracenecarboxylic acid, biphenylcarboxylic acid, benzoylbenzoic acid, and combinations thereof.