METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BLEACHED, LOW-SULTONE OLEFIN SULFONATES

摘要

METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BLEACHED, LOW-SOLTONE OLEFIN SULFONATES Aqueous solutions of alkali metal C8-22 .alpha.-olefin sulfonates of light color and of low sultone content are prepared rapidly and at moderate temperatures by: (a) reacting a C8-22 .alpha.-olefin with gaseous sulfur trioxide thereby forming a crude sulfonation product mixture containing C8-22 olefin sulfonic acids,with a content of sultones, (b) bleaching said crude sulfonation product mixture at 30.degree.C to 80.degree.C for 10 to 60 minutes with an aqueous alkaline bleaching solution at a pH of at least 8, (c) heating said diluted bleached sulfonation product mixture containing excess alkali to a temperature of from 140.degree.C to 170.degree.C until the sultone content of said sulfonation product mixture is less than 100 ppm and (d) recovering said alkali metal C8-22 .alpha.-olefin sulfates of light color and of low sultone content. A decrease in the sultone content from as much as 650,000 ppm to less than 50 ppm is possible by the method. - A