Preparation of sulphonated aromatic esters

摘要

A process for preparing sulphonated aromatic esters of the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted sulphonato-phenyl carboxylates and sulphonato-phenyl carbonates is disclosed, comprising the steps of: (1) preparing the unsulphonated aromatic ester; (2) sulphonating said unsulphonated aromatic ester; and (3) neutralizing the acid-sulphonated aromatic ester in a non-aqueous organic solvent with an alkali metal, earth alkali metal or ammonium carboxylate in an amount in excess over the amount needed to neutralize the sulphonic acid group(s) and any free or complexed SO3 present in the product mixture from the sulphonation reaction. Preferred neutralizing agent is sodium acetate; preferred solvents are acetic acid or glyme and diglyme.