SYNTHESIS OF NEW ZWITTERIONIC SURFACTANTS WITH IMPROVED SOLUBILITY IN WATER

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)81015-2

New neutral zwitterionic surfactants of the sulfobetaine series have been synthesized in a preparative scale in a two steps procedure.Ring openning of propane or butane sultone is obtained by a 2-methyl-1,3-cycloiminoether in a first stage, and the resulting inner cycloiminium sulfonate salt is ring-opened by a fatty tertiary amine.The introduction of an acetamide group between the two charged groups of the zwitterion enhances the solubility in water and then allows the use of octadecyl chained surfactants in water at room temperature.This synthesis provides pure compounds, free of inorganic ions, in good yield addition reactions from commercially available strating materials.