Process for the production of ammonium fatty acid hydroxyalkanesulfonates

US5473089A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien · DE

Inventors

• Bernhard Gutsche · Hilden, DE
• Timothy J. Cassady · Hamilton, US
• Lutz Jeromin · Hilden, DE
• Gerhard Wollmann · Hilden, DE
• Norman Milstein · Montgomery, US
• Hans-Christian Raths · Monheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 14, 1994
• Grant date: Dec 5, 1995
• Expiry date: Apr 14, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C303/32
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Ammonium fatty acid hydroxyalkanesulfonates are made by a process in which (a) ammonium hydroxyalkanesulfonate corresponding to general formula (I): EQU HO--(C.sub.n H.sub.2n)--SO.sub.3 NH.sub.4 (I) wherein n=2 to 4, is subjected to the esterification reaction with a fatty acid corresponding to the formula (II) EQU R--COOH (II) wherein RCO is an aliphatic, linear or branched acyl radical containing 6 to 18 carbon atoms, in the presence of an esterification catalyst, characterized in that (a) before the esterification reaction, the starting compounds corresponding to formulae (I) and (II) are dried at a temperature of 120.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. and under a pressure of 100 to 700 mbar; (b) the esterification reaction is carried out at a temperature above 160.degree. C. to 195.degree. C. and under a pressure of 250 mbar to atmospheric pressure; (c) water of solution and water of reaction formed are directly removed from the reaction mixture; (d) the catalyst is neutralized with a base on completion of the reaction.