Patent ID: 8304575

Claim:
A process for producing an ether carboxylate, comprising: (1) reacting a C 6 to C 36 aliphatic monohydric alcohol with a C 2 to C 4 alkylene oxide in the presence of an alkali catalyst, to obtain a reaction solution; (2) neutralizing said reaction solution with at least one acid selected from the group consisting of a C 2 to C 10 hydroxycarboxylic acid, a C 2 to C 10 dicarboxylic acid, and a C 2 to C 10 tricarboxylic acid, to obtain an ether alcohol; and (3-1) reacting said ether alcohol with a C 2 to C 4 monohalogenoacetic acid or a salt thereof and an alkali metal hydroxide, to obtain said ether carboxylate, wherein said reacting said ether alcohol with said C 2 to C 4 monohalogenoacetic acid or a salt thereof and said alkali metal hydroxide is conducted by simultaneously adding an aqueous solution of said C 2 to C 4 monohalogenoacetic acid or a salt thereof and an aqueous solution of said alkali metal hydroxide drop-wise to said ether alcohol, while maintaining said ether alcohol at a temperature of 50 to 100° C. and under a reduced pressure of 0.67 to 26.6 kPa.