Production of sulpho-alkyl acetate compounds for use as surfactants

摘要

A process for the production of sulphoalkyl acetates of formula R<1>(OCH2CH2)nOC(O)-CH2SO3X (I), in which R<1> = 6-22C linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbyl; n = 0 or 1-20; X = alkali or alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkylammonium, alkanolammonium or glucammonium. The process comprises: (a) reacting acetyl chloride with chlorosulphonic acid; (b) reacting the sulphonation product with a 6-22C prim. alcohol (II) or an adduct thereof with 1-20 mols ethylene oxide (EO); and (c) neutralising the resulting ester by known methods.