Highly branched primary alcohol compositions, and biodegradable detergents made therefrom
US5849960A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 26, 1996 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 26, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC11D1/72
- WIPO fieldOrganic fine chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
There is provided a new branched primary alcohol composition and the sulfates thereof exhibiting good cold water detergency and biodegradability. The branched primary alcohol composition has an average number of branches per chain of at least 0.7, having at least 8 carbon atoms and contianing both methyl and ethyl branches. The primary alcohol composition may also contain less than 0.5 atom % of quaternary carbon atoms, and a significant number ethyl branches, terminal isopropyl branches, and branching it the C.sub.3 position relative to the hydroxyl carbon. The process for its manufacture is by skeletally isomerizing an olefin feed having at least 7 carbon atoms followed by conversion to an alcohol, as by way of hydroformylation, and ultimately, sulfation to obtain a detergent surfactant. Useful catalysts include the zeolites having at least one channel with a crystallographic free diameter along the x and/or y planes of the 001! view ranging from greater than 4.2 .ANG. and less than 7 .ANG., but allows one to skeletally isomerize the olefin to produce a variety of branches, while retaining ready biodegradability and good cold water detergency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.