Process for the production of internal olefin sulfonate

摘要

Process for the production of light-colored internal olefin sulfonates substantially free from unreacted olefins comprises sulfonating an internal olefin with gaseous SO3 to produce a sulfonation reaction mixture, neutralizing said sulfonation reaction mixture with caustic alkali without hydrolysis of sulton contained in the mixture, adding to the neutralized sulfonation reaction mixture an extracting reagent selected from halogenated hydrocarbons to form an extract phase containing unreacted olefin and a raffinate phase containing internal olefin sulfonates and sultons, and hydrolyzing the resulting raffinate phase in the presence of caustic alkali.