Process for preparing highly concentrated, free-flowing aqueous solutions of betaines

US5681972A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Witco Surfactants GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ingo Hamann · Mount Olive, US
• Hans-Jurgen Kohle · Leingarten, DE
• Winfried Wehner · Hachenburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 30, 1995
• Grant date: Oct 28, 1997
• Expiry date: Mar 30, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C11D1/90
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for preparing highly concentrated, free-flowing and pumpable, aqueous solutions of betaines by quaternization of compounds containing tertiary amine nitrogen with omega-halocarboxylic acids by known processes, which is characterized in that a) 30-100 equivalent-%, based on the amount of omega-halocarboxylic acid used, of Mg(OH).sub.2 and/or Ca(OH).sub.2 and b) 0-70 equivalent-%, based on the amount of omega-halocarboxylic acid used, of one or more NaOH, KOH and NH.sub.4 OH are added to the reaction mixture before or during the quaternization reaction.