Process for the production of light-colored .alpha.-sulfofatty acid alkyl ester alkali metal salt pastes

US5384422A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien · DE

Inventors

• Dietmar Colignon · Erkrath, DE
• Erich Dorra · Goldkronach, DE
• Guenter Panthel · Haan, DE
• Wolfgang Schmidt · Frankfurt, DE
• Norbert Wrede · Goldkronach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 25, 1992
• Grant date: Jan 24, 1995
• Expiry date: Nov 25, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C303/22
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In the production of .alpha.-sulfofatty acid alkyl ester alkali metal salt pastes by reaction of fatty acid alkyl esters with gaseous SO.sub.3, subsequent after-reaction in liquid phase and neutralization with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solutions, the crude sulfonation product is fed to an at least two-stage cascade of stirred tanks equipped with heating and cooling systems in which it is subjected with mechanical agitation to a temperature-controlled after-reaction until a degree of sulfonation of at least 90% is reached, after which the aged sulfonation product is further processed in known manner to .alpha.-sulfofatty acid alkyl ester alkali metal salt pastes.