Determination of oxyethylene distribution in condensates of primary alcohols with ethylene oxide

Abstract

A new method has been developed that makes possible determination of the oxyethylene distribution of the condcnsates of mixed carbon number detergent-range, primary alcohols with ethylene oxide over a wide range. Circular thin layer chromatography of the 3,5-dinitrobenzoate ester derivatives is used to separate the condensates into a series of groups, each group containing all of the compounds present having the same number of oxyethylene units. These groups of esters are recovered and determined by a spectrophotometric procedure. Distribution curves are obtained that cover the range of added oxyethylene units from 0 to as high as 18. Higher adducts are recovered and determined as a group.

Studies on Octylphenoxy Surfactants: V. Toxicity to Cowpea Leaves and Effects of Spray Application Parameters

“…Surfactant chemistry. Octylphenol (OP) condensed with 3 (OP + 3EO), 5 (OP + 5EO), 9.5 (OP + 9.5EO), 30 (OP + 30EO), and 40 (OP + 40EO) ethoxy (EO) groups (Triton X surfactants; Rohm and Haas) and a linear alcohol (LA) containing a mixture of 12 to 15 carbon atoms (17) condensed with 3 (LA + 3EO), 7 (LA + 7EO), 9 (LA + 9EO), 12 (L A + 12E O ), and 30 (LA + 30EO) EO groups (Neodol 25 surfactants; Shell Chemical Co., Houston) were used. All surfactants were mixtures of oligomers where the listed EO number represents an average value and the ethoxymer mole ratio distribution follows a Poisson distribution (17,20).…”