Patent GB-373642-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the manufacture and production of wetting, emulsifying, washing and the like agents
Filed: 1931-01-26
Abstract: Products useful as emulsifying agents are prepared by sulphonating the products of the destructive oxidation of non-aromatic hydrocarbons containing more than eight carbon atoms in the molecule, the oxidation products having been separated from unattacked hydrocarbon prior to the sulphonation and containing, after the separation, from 15 to about 60 per cent by weight of alcohols; the alcohols may be present wholly or in part as esters with the acids formed by the oxidation.  The initial hydrocarbons may be solid or liquid paraffin or naphthene hydrocarbons such as paraffin wax, ceresine, mineral oil or tar fractions, or hydrocarbons obtained by the destructive hydrogenation of coal, brown coal, mineral oils or tars.  According to the conditions of sulphonation, the products may be sulphuric esters or sulphonic acids.  The sulphonated products are not precipitated from aqueous solution by calcium compounds, and this property may be enhanced by addition of sulphonated alcohols or olefines.  Specifications 303,281, [Class 2 (iii), Dyes &c.], 343,872, 360,002, and 364,669 are referred to.  Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 303,281.ALSO:Products useful as wetting, emulsifying and cleansing agents in the textile and related industries are prepared by sulphonating the products of the destructive oxidation of non-aromatic hydrocarbons containing more than eight carbon atoms in the molecule, the oxidation products having been separated from unattacked hydrocarbon prior to the sulphonation and containing, after the separation, from 15 to about 60 per cent by weight of alcohols; the alcohols may be present wholly or in part as esters with the acids formed by the oxidation. Suitable oxidation products are obtainable by effecting the oxidation in the presence of at least 2 per cent of an organic or inorganic acid such as acetic or boric acid; or the alcohol content of the oxidation products may be raised by washing the products, after separation of unattacked hydrocarbon, with aqueous alkaline solutions, so as to reduce the acid content; or higher alcohols such as cetyl or lauryl alcohol may be added as such to the separated oxidation products.  The initial hydrocarbons may be solid or liquid paraffin or naphthene hydrocarbons such as paraffin wax, ceresine, mineral oil or tar fractions, or hydrocarbons obtained by the destructive hydrogenation of coal, brown coal, mineral oils or tars. The sulphonation may be effected with concentrated sulphuric acid, oleum, chlorsulphonic acid or gaseous sulphur trioxide in the presence or absence of solvents or diluents, such as ether or nitrobenzene, and with or without surface catalysts, such as active carbon, kieselguhr, or silica gel, and dehydrating agents, such as phosphorus pentoxide, acetic anhydride, or acetyl chloride. According to the conditions, the products may be sulphuric esters or sulphonic acids.  The sulphonated products are not precipitated from aqueous solution by calcium compounds, and this property may be enhanced by addition of sulphonated alcohols or olefines.  In the examples, (1) paraffin wax is treated with air at 160 DEG  C. in the presence of boric acid, and the product is gradually heated from 15 to 40 DEG  C. so as to liquefy the oxidation products, which are drawn off from the unattacked hydrocarbon; the oxidation product is then treated with chlorsulphonic acid at 35 DEG  C. while blowing through air; (2) paraffin wax is treated with air at 160 DEG  C. in the presence of a little manganese naphthenate and boric acid, and the oxidation products are separated as in example (1), and then sulphonated by treatment in carbon tetrachloride solution with sulphur trioxide; (3) Russian gas oil is treated with air at 160 DEG C. in the presence of acetic acid, and the product is treated with liquid sulphur dioxide, to extract the oxidation products; the latter are washed with soda solution and then sulphonated with sulphuric acid; (4) an oxidation product prepared from Russian gas oil as in example (3) is mixed with cetyl alcohol and sulphonated as in any of examples (1)-(3); the product may be neutralized with triethanolamine; instead of mixing the oxidation product with cetyl alcohol, a sulphonation product of cetyl alcohol or of a corresponding olefine may be added to the sulphonated oxidation product. Specifications 303,281, [Class 2 (iii), Dyes &c.], 343,872, 360,002, and 364,669 are referred to.  Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 303,281.