Production of alkylpolyglycosides

摘要

An improvement in the process of preparation of an alkylpolyglycoside containing a long chain alkyl group of about 10 carbon atoms or more by reaction of a saccharide and a long chain alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, particularly an improvement in the process to inhibit or minimize condenser fouling during the processing either in the removal of water from the reactor to promote completion of the reaction or in subsequent processing of the reaction product stream wherein the stream is heated at elevated temperatures and vacuum to remove excess alcohol and residual water, or water introduced into the process stream by steam ejectors in an evaporator, after leaving the reactor. The improvement includes the addition of an alcohol having a carbon chain of a number less than the carbon chain of the alkyl group of the alkylpolyglycoside product either along with the reactant alcohol to produce the polyglycoside, or to the product stream at evaporation of the excess alcohol and residual water.