The Procter Gamble Company

Larry E Miller

Mark Robert Sivik

Bernard William Kluesener

James C Letton

Bernard George Durham

Terry Franklin Formyduval

Donald Eugene Levengood

Gene P Hawkins

Alan David Willey

Glenn Thomas Jordan, Iv

Mark H Mao

Deborah Jean Back

John M Weeman

A process for preparing an ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactant which results in the absence of metallic catalyst component residues from the ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactant.

Process for preparing ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants

Chemical synthesis of N-acyl-N-alkylcarboxylates through oxidation of substituted amides formed from carboxylic acid esters and an N-alkyl-N-alkanolamine.

Synthesis of N-acyl-N-alkylcarboxylates

High quality acyl lactam imides are prepared by reacting an acyl lactam of the formula ##STR1## where 5 carbon atoms and an acylating acid of the formula R'CO.sub.2 H or by reacting a lactam, an anhydride of the formula (RCO).sub.2 O where R is 1 to 5 carbon atoms and an acylating acid, preferably in the presence of a base catalyst. The process affords acyl lactam imides in high yield and at lower reaction temperatures by providing for the removal of volatile carboxylic acid by-products under vacuum or by the use of a stripping gas. The acyl lactam imides are particularly suited for use as bleach activators in detergent compositions.

Process for the acylation of lactams

Amine oxide surfactants contaminated with nitrite are treated under acidic conditions with materials such as maleic acid and diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) to reduce nitrite levels below 1 ppm. Thus, C.sub.12-13 dimethyl amine is oxidized with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of maleic acid and DTPA to reduce nitrite levels. The resulting nitrite-free amine oxide is employed in various detergent compositions.

Process for reducing the levels of nitrite contaminants in amine oxide

An improved process for preparing mono-condensation derivatives of adipic acid with fewer steps and better purity is disclosed. In particular, this process comprises: (a) forming relatively concentrated and pure cyclic monomeric adipic anhydride by depolymerization and concentration starting from polymeric adipic anhydride; and (b) adding a condensation reactant having an active hydrogen, e.g., a primary or secondary amine, to said cyclic monomeric adipic anhydride to form the corresponding mono-condensation derivative of adipic acid.

Process for the preparation of mono-condensation derivatives of adipic

Long chain fatty alcohols can be removed from alkylpolysaccharide products in thin film evaporators to achieve fatty alcohol levels of less than about 2% without excessive discoloration of the alkylpolysaccharide.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Larry E Miller