Use of ether-carboxylic acids having low pour point

摘要

Preparation of ether carboxylic acid comprises: (i) alkylating a basic mixtures of oxethylated alcohols and their alkoxides with chlorocarboxylic acid; and (ii) purifying the basic intermediate followed by acidification by washing with aqueous sulfate solution until the ether carboxylic acid obtained has a conductivity of greater than 1000 muS/cm. Preparation of ether carboxylic acid of formula R-O-(A-O)n-B-C(O)OH (I) involves alkylating a basic mixtures of oxethylated alcohols of formula R-O-(A-O)n-H of formula (II) and alkoxides with 2-5C chlorocarboxylic acid and purifying the basic intermediate followed by acidification by washing with aqueous sulfate solution until the ether carboxylic acid obtained has a conductivity (greater than 1000 muS/cm). A = 2-4C alkylene; B = 1-4C alkylene; n = 1 - 100; R = 1-30C alkyl, 2-30C alkylene or 6-30C aryl.