New Anionic Surfactants And Detergents And Cleaning Agents Containing Same

Abstract

An anionic surfactant of general formula (I) in which n and m are, independently of one another, numbers from 0 to 17 and 2<n+m<20, and X + is a charge-balancing cation. The invention also relates to a production method by way of: the acid-catalysed reaction of 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl) tetrahydrofuran with an alkene having 5 to 22 C atoms in equimolar amounts, at an increased temperature; subsequent sulphation with a sulphating agent; and optional neutralisation by a subsequent reaction with X + OH − or X + 2 CO 2− 3 , where X + is an alkali metal cation or a group N + R 1 R 2 R 3 , in which R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are, independently of one another, hydrogen, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 C atoms, or a hydroxyalkyl group with 2 to 6 C atoms. Detergents or cleaning agents containing the surfactant, and the use of same to improve the performance of the detergents or cleaning agents, are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An anionic surfactant of general formula (I), 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which n and m independently of one another represent numbers from 0 to 17 and 2<n+m<20, and X +  represents a charge-balancing cation. 
       
     
     
         2 . A washing or cleaning agent containing an anionic surfactant of general formula (I), 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which n and m independently of one another represent numbers from 0 to 17 and 2<n+m<20, and X +  represents a charge-balancing cation. 
       
     
     
         3 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 2 , wherein it contains from 1 wt. % to 99 wt. % of the surfactant of general formula (I). 
     
     
         4 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 2 , wherein it additionally contains up to 99 wt. % of a further surfactant. 
     
     
         5 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 2 , wherein it is particulate and contains builders, or in that it is liquid and 1 wt. % to 90 wt. % water, water-miscible solvent or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent. 
     
     
         6 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 2 , wherein it is portioned ready to be individually dosed in a chamber formed of water-soluble material and contains less than 15 wt. % water. 
     
     
         7 . The surfactant according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the compounds of general formula (I), n represents a number from 0 to 3, and m represents a number from 5 to 14, and/or X +  is selected from the group consisting of the proton, alkali metal cations and the group N + R 1 R 2 R 3 , in which R 1 , R 2  and R 3  independently of one another represent hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 C atoms or a hydroxy alkyl group having 2 to 6 C atoms. 
     
     
         8 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 3 , wherein it contains from 3 wt. % to 85 wt. % of the surfactant of general formula (I). 
     
     
         9 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 4 , wherein it additionally contains from 3 wt. % to 85 wt. % of a further surfactant. 
     
     
         10 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 5 , wherein it is particulate and contains builders in the range from 1 wt. % to 60 wt. % or in that it is liquid and 10 wt. % to 85 wt. % water, water-miscible solvent or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent. 
     
     
         11 . The washing or cleaning agent according to  claim 6 , wherein it is portioned ready to be individually dosed in a chamber formed of water-soluble material and contains in the range from 1 wt. % to 12 wt. % water.