Patent · US Expired

Preparation of nonionic surfactants

US4721816A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
5References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 23, 1985
Grant dateJan 26, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 23, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC08G65/269
  • WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Alkylene oxide adducts of higher alkanols are prepared by a process which comprises contacting and reacting an alkylene oxide reactant comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 vicinal alkylene oxides with an alkanol reactant comprising one or more C.sub.6 to C.sub.30 alkanols in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst which combines (i) one or more sulfur-containing acids with (ii) one or more aluminum compounds selected from the group consisting of aluminum alcoholates and aluminum phenolates, the relative molar ratio of component (i) to component (ii) being in the range from about 0.1:1 to 1:1. Alkanol alkoxylates, and particularly alkanol ethoxylates, prepared in this manner are characterized by a relatively narrow-range distribution of alkylene oxide adducts and by a relatively low content of residual alkanol. The products of this process are nonionic surfactants, particularly useful as components of detergent formulations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.