PROCESS FOR PREPARING N-ALKYL POLYHYDROXY AMINES IN AMINE AND AMINE/WATER SOLVENTS AND FATTY ACID AMIDES THEREFROM

摘要

2092563 9208687 PCTABS00013 Amines such as methyl amine are reacted with materials such as reducing sugars in amine or amine/water solvents to prepare N-alkyl polyhydroxy amines. Accordingly, glucose is reacted with methyl amine and the resulting adduct is hydrogenated to yield N-methylglucamine. The N-alkyl polyhydroxy amines can be subsequently reacted with fatty esters to provide polyhydroxy fatty acid amides useful as detersive surfactants. Thus, detersive surfactants are available from non-petrochemical precursors such as sugars and sugar sources such as corn syrup, and fatty acid esters derivable from various fats and oils.