PURPOSE: To provide a new compound having excellent water-solubility, bio- degradability and dispersibility and useful as a metal dispersing agent and chelating agent.
CONSTITUTION: A compound of the formula (A)nG [G is residue produced by removing H atoms from all OH groups of the compound of formula I, formula II, etc.; (n) is total number of the OH groups; M is H, alkali metal, etc.; A is H or group of formula III (R1 is H, COOM, etc.) bonding to O to which the H atom removed from the group G is bonded; R2 is alkylene; (p) is 1 or 2]. This compound can be produced by reacting sorbitan, gluconic acid or gluconolactone with a compound of formula IV in the presence of an alkaline substance (e.g. NaOH) in a solvent (e.g. benzene) preferably using a phase- transfer catalyst (e.g. a tetrabutylammonium salt).
IMANAKA TAKEHIRO
FUJIO AKIRA
YOKOTA YUKINAGA
