Alkylaldehyde-bisulfite adducts with octyl, decyl, and dodecyl groups (C n S: n=8,10,12) were synthesized and the surface-active properties of the water-soluble compounds were compared. Exchange of the counter anions of C 10 S and C 12 S from sodium to tetramethylammonium solubilized them in water. The latter ammonium salt (C 12 S-QA) had surface activities as good as a classical surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate, and dissociated promptly in weakly basic solution at room temperature to be a non-surfactant. It was also found that C 12 S-QA solubilized a hydrophobic substrate (solid), N,N-dimethyl-3-nitroaniline, in water and then separated it as a precipitate after alkali treatment.

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