To efficiently and inexpensively obtain an N-alkylamidoalkanaol sulfate ester salt which is useful as a detergent of good color tone and smell by sulfating a specific N-alkylamidoalkanol, neutralizing the sulfate ester to form a sulfate ester salt solution and treating the solution with an oxidizer and an inorganic reducing agent.
A compound of formula I [R1 is a 6-22C (branched) (hydroxy) alkyl or alkenyl, an alkylphenyl of 8-12 carbon atoms in its alkyl moiety (Z); R2 is H, a 1-22C (branched) (hydroxy)alkyl or alkenyl (Z) R3 is a 1-5C (branched) alkylene; R4 is a 2-3C (branched) alkylene; (n) is an average addition molar number of 0-50] is sulfated with a sulfating agent to give an N- alkylamidoalkanol sulfate ester, the product is neutralized to form a solution of a compound of formula II (M is a cation) in water or a mixture thereof with alcohol. Then, the solution is treated with an oxidizer such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide or an inorganic reducing agent such as an alkali metal borohydride.
MIZUSHIMA YOUSEN
TAKAHASHI MASAKATSU
FUJIO AKIRA
