Secondary C10-C18 surfactant alcohols

US7074972B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BASF SE

Inventors

• Heiko Maas · Mannheim, DE
• Juergen Tropsch · Münstermaifeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 16, 2001
• Grant date: Jul 11, 2006
• Expiry date: Aug 18, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C11D1/345
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to secondary C10 to C18 surfactant alcohols of the general formula (I), wherein R represents methyl or ethyl and R′ represents a linear or branched alkyl group with 6–13 C atoms, excepting 5-ethyl-2-nonanol and 6-ethyl-3-decanol, in addition to fatty alcohol alkoxylates, alkyl phosphates, alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether phosphates and alkyl ether sulphates. The secondary C10 to C18 surfactant alcohols can be produced by a simple aldol condensation of linear or branched saturated or unsaturated C7–C14 aldehyde excepting 2-ethyl hexanal, with acetone or methyl ethyl ketone and the subsequent hydrogenation of the condensation product. In the preferred method, the aldol condensation is heterogenically catalyzed under hydrogenation conditions and the saturated ketone that has been formed is subsequently hydrogenated