Patent GB-1042854-A (GB)
Title: 1-alkenyl-1-sulfonic acids
IPC: C07C309/20
Filed: 1965-01-21
Abstract: A detergent is formulated from a composition which comprises at least 90% by weight of a mixture of normal C12- 22 1-alkenyl-1-sulphonic acids, the said mixture containing from 50 to 70% by weight of normal 1-alkenyl-1-sulphonic acids in the range of from C16-C18 and from 5 to 31% by weight each of normal 1-alkenyl-1-sulphonic acid fractions having fewer than 16 carbons and greater than 18 carbons respectively. The active ingredients are generally the alkenyl sulphonic acid salts, and constitute at least 10% or up to 100% by weight of the final detergent composition, preferred cations being the alkali metal cations such as sodium, potassium and lithium. Conventional additives such as inorganic builders, for example sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, alkali metal sulphates or carbonates, or sodium silicate, anti-caking agents, optical bleaches, extenders and preventives of soil redeposition, for example carboxymethylcellulose or derivatives of oxidized cellulose, skin emollients and anti-irritants, perfume and colouring matter may also be present.ALSO:The invention comprises a composition useful in the formulation of detergents (see Division C5) which comprises at least 90% by weight of a mixture of normal C12- 22 1-alkenyl-1 -sulphonic acids, the said mixture containing from 50 to 70% by weight of normal 1-alkenyl-1-sulphonic acids in the range of from C16- 18 and from 5 to 31% by weight each of normal 1-alkenyl-1-sulphonic acid fractions having fewer than 16 carbons and greater than 18 carbons respectively.  The composition may be obtained by sulphonating with sulphur trioxide the appropriate individual olefins and then mixing them in the proper amounts or by sulphonating a mixture of the 1-olefins, the composition of the mixture of the 1-olefins corresponding to the desired composition of the final detergent product.  Each fraction of the composition may have one or more homologues, for example the C16- 18 fraction may have only the C18 homologue or the C18 homologue in combination with the C16 and C17. Preferably the C16- 18 fraction should have at least two homologues present in equal amounts by weight and the other two fractions should not contain more than 3 homologues.  The sulphonic acids may be prepared by bubbling sulphur trioxide, diluted with an inert gas, such as air, oxygen, nitrogen, helium, argon, methane, ethane or trifluorochloromethane, into an a -olefin in the liquid phase at between -50 DEG  C. and +85 DEG  C. and at a pressure of between 1/2 and 1 1/2 atmospheres After the addition of SO3 the reaction mixture is usually treated with strong base, for example sodium hydroxide to form alkenyl sulphonic acid salts.  Other salts specified are the lithium and potassium salts. The per cent by volume of sulphur trioxide in the reacting gas is preferably between 0.5 and 20% and the mol ratio of sulphur trioxide to olefin is in the range 0.1 to 1.3.  The a -olefins may be used by themselves or in an aliphatic- or halohydrocarbon solvent, the a -olefin being at least 25% by volume of the solution.  The products may also be obtained by using the sulphur trioxide when the latter is co-ordinated with a complexing agent such as dioxane, thioxane or an alkyl phosphate.