Soap‐based detergent formulations: VI. Alkylaryl sulfonamide derivatives as lime soap dispersing agents

Abstract

AbstractAlkylbenzenes, such as industrial detergent alkylates, as well as pure 1‐phenylalkanes whose side chain lengths varied C8−C12, were converted into the corresponding alkylbenzenensulfonyl chlorides with chlorosulfonic acid. Surface active sulfonamides were obtained from the reaction of the sulfonyl chlorides with various low mol wt aminosulfonic acids, such as N‐methyltaurine, or with aminoalkyl esters of sulfuric acid, such as 2‐aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate. The hydrolytic stability of the resulting surface active sulfonamide derivatives was investigated. As expected, the sulfonates were quite resistant to acid or alkaline hydrolysis, while the sulfates were more susceptible to hydrolysis. Hydrolytic stability of the sulfonamides was compared with that of the analogous fatty acid amide sulfactants. All of the compounds were excellent lime soap dispersing agents giving Borhetty‐Bergman values of 4–10. The compounds were evaluated for detergency either alone or formulated either with tallow soap or with tallow soap and sodium silicate (Na2O/SiO2 ratio of 1∶1.6) The derivatives of the pure hydrocarbons which gave the best overall detergency were those of 1‐phenyldecane and 1‐phenyldodecane, whereas those of 1‐phenyloctane exhibited poor detergency. This ranking was observed when the compounds were tested alone as well as when formulated. The sulfonamide derivatives of the detergent alkylate type of alkylbenzenes exhibited excellent detergency characteristics and showed substantial potentiation of detergency when mixed with soap or with a soap‐sodium silicate blend. The detergency performance of some of these formulated detergents was equal to that of a commercial household detergent used as a control.