Claims
- 1. A no-bleach process for preparing a sulfonated fatty acid alkyl ester surfactant comprising, by weight of the surfactant, from about 90% to 100% of sulfonated fatty acid alkyl esters and less than about 10% of impurities selected from the group consisting of sulfonated fatty acid salts, fatty acid salts, fatty acid alkyl esters, and mixtures thereof; said process comprising the steps of:
- a) sulfonating fatty acid alkyl esters;
- b) reacting the product of step a) with about 10% to about 20%, by weight of the product of step a), of a substantially anhydrous C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alcohol;
- c) continuously neutralizing the product of step b) with an alkoxide of the formula (R.sub.2 O.sup.-).sub.n M.sup.n+ having a concentration of from about 5% to 35% by weight, in a substantially anhydrous medium of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alcohol; wherein R.sub.2 is on the average a C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, M is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal cation, or a mixture thereof, and n is 1 when M is an alkali metal cation and n is 2 when M is an alkaline earth metal cation;
- d) filtering the product of step c); and
- e) purifying the product of step d) in a column of activated carbon;
- wherein the total amount of alcohol in step c) is from about 30% to 65% by weight, the temperature during step c) is from about 30.degree. to 70.degree. C. and the pH during step c) is from about 3 to 11; and wherein the process does not consist of a bleaching step.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the alcohol in step b) comprises a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohol.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein the alcohol in step b) is methanol.
- 4. The process of claim 1 wherein step c) comprises continuously neutralizing the product of step b) with the alkoxide having a concentration of from about 10% to 25% in a substantially anhydrous medium of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alcohol.
- 5. The process of claim 3 wherein step c) comprises continuously neutralizing the product of step b) with the alkoxide having a concentration of from about 10% to 25% in a substantially anhydrous medium of methanol.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the total amount of alcohol in step c) is from about 30% to 40%.
- 7. The process of claim 3 wherein the total amount of alcohol in step c) is from about 30% to 40%.
- 8. The process of claim 5 wherein the total amount of alcohol in step c) is from about 30% to 40%.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature during the neutralizing step c) is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 10. The process of claim 3 wherein the temperature during the neutralizing step c) is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 11. The process of claim 5 wherein the temperature during the neutralizing step c) is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 12. The process of claim 8 wherein the temperature during the neutralizing step c) is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 13. The process of claim 1 wherein the pH during the neutralizing step c) is from about 6 to about 8.
- 14. The process of claim 3 wherein the pH during the neutralizing step c) is from about 6 to about 8.
- 15. The process of claim 5 wherein the pH during the neutralizing step c) is from about 6 to about 8.
- 16. The process of claim 8 wherein the pH during the neutralizing step c) is from about 6 to about 8.
- 17. The process of claim 12 wherein the pH during the neutralizing step c) is from about 6 to about 8.
- 18. The process of claim 1 for preparing the sulfonated fatty acid alkyl ester surfactant of claim 1 wherein the sulfonated fatty acid alkyl esters are of the formula: ##STR9## wherein R is on the average a C.sub.10 to C.sub.16 alkyl, R.sub.1 is on the average a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl, and M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and mixtures thereof; said process comprising:
- a) sulfonating fatty acid alkyl esters of the formula RCH.sub.2 COOR.sub.1 wherein R and R.sub.1 are the same as defined above;
- b) reacting the product of step b) with about 10% to 20%, by weight of the product of step a), of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohol; and
- c) continuously neutralizing the product of step b) with the alkoxide having a concentration of from about 10% to 25%, by weight, in a substantially anhydrous medium of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohol; wherein R.sub.2 is on the average a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkyl and M is the same as defined above.
- 19. A no-bleach process for preparing a sulfonated fatty acid methyl ester surfactant comprising, by weight of the surfactant, from about 90% to 100% of sulfonated fatty acid methyl esters and less than about 10% of impurities selected from the group consisting of sulfonated fatty acid salts, fatty acid salts, fatty acid methyl esters, and mixtures thereof; said process comprising the steps of:
- a) sulfonating fatty acid methyl esters;
- b) reacting the product of step a) with about 5% to about 25%, by weight of the product of step a), of a substantially anhydrous C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohol;
- c) continuously neutralizing the product of step b) with an alkoxide of the formula (R.sub.2 O.sup.-).sub.n M.sup.n+ having a concentration of from about 5% to 35% by weight, in a substantially anhydrous medium of a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alcohol; wherein R.sub.2 is on the average a C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 alkyl, M is an alkali metal cation or alkaline earth metal cation, or a mixture thereof and n is 1 when M is an alkali metal cation and n is 2 when M is an alkaline earth metal cation;
- d) filtering the product of step c); and
- e) purifying the product of step d) in a column of activated carbon;
- wherein the total amount of alcohol in step c) is from about 30% to 65% by weight, the temperature during step c) is from about 30.degree. to 70.degree. C. and the pH during step c) is from about 5 to 9; and wherein the process does not consist of a bleaching step.
- 20. The process of claim 18 wherein the alcohol in step b) is methanol, the alkoxide in Step c) is (CH.sub.3 O--).sub.n M.sup.n+, and the alcohol in step c) is methanol.
- 21. The process of claim 20 wherein the concentration of methoxide in methanol is from about 10% to 25% by weight and the total amount of methanol in step c) is from about 30% to 40%.
- 22. The process of claim 20 wherein the temperature is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 23. The process of claim 21 wherein the temperature is from about 40.degree. to 60.degree. C.
- 24. The process of claim 20 wherein the pH is from about 6 to 8.
- 25. The process of claim 21 wherein the pH is from about 6 to 8.
- 26. The process of claim 22 wherein the pH is from about 6 to 8.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/107,504, filed on Aug. 20, 1993 now abandoned.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
107504 |
Aug 1993 |
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