Process for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of alkylarylsulfonates by a) reaction of a C 4 -olefin mixture over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin mixture comprising 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, and optional removal of 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene, b) dimerization of the 2-pentene and/or 3-hexene obtained in stage a) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture containing C 10-12 -olefins, and optional removal of the C 10-12 -olefins, c) reaction of the C 10-12 -olefin mixtures obtained in stage b) with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylating catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds, where, prior to the reaction, additional linear olefins may be added, d) sulfonation of the alkylaromatic compounds obtained in stage c), and neutralization to give alkylarylsulfonates, where, prior to the sulfonation, linear alkylbenzenes may additionally be added, e) optional mixing of the alkylarylsulfonates obtained in stage d) with linear alkylarylsulfonates.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A mixture of alkyaromatic compounds obtained by a process comprising: 
 a) reacting a C 4 -olefin mixture over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin composition comprising 2-pentene, 3-hexene or mixtures thereof, and optional removal of 2-pentene, 3 hexene, or mixtures thereof,    b) dimerizing the 2-pentene, 3-hexene or mixtures thereof obtained in stage a) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture containing C 10-12 -olefins, and optional removal of the C 10-12 -olefins,    c) reacting the mixture containing C 10-12 -olefins or the C 10-12 -olefins obtained in stage b), or optionally a separated C 10-12  fraction, with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylating catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds,    wherein, in the C 10-12 -olefins, the proportion of monosubstitution products is in the range from 40 to 75% by weight, and the proportion of double-branched products is in the range from 5 to 25% by weight.    
   
   
       13 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the metathesis catalyst in stage a) is selected from compounds of a metal of transition groups VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements.  
   
   
       14 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein, in stage b), a dimerization catalyst is used, which contains at least one element from transition group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and the catalyst composition and the reaction conditions are chosen, such that a dimer mixture is obtained, which contains less than 10% by weight of compounds which have a structural element of the formula I (vinylidene group)  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein A 1  and A 2  are aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals.  
     
   
   
       15 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the olefins obtained in stage b), have a proportion of unbranched olefins of less than 25% by weight.  
   
   
       16 . The Mixture as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein at least 80% of the olefins obtained in stage b), have one branch, or two branches on adjacent carbon atoms, in the range from ¼ to ¾ of the number of carbon atoms in the main chain of the molecule.  
   
   
       17 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein, in stage c), the alkylating catalyst that is used, leads to alkylaromatic compounds which have an alkyl group that has 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1, wherein the H/C index defines the number of protons per carbon atom in the alkyl group.  
   
   
       18 . A mixture of alkylarylsufonates obtained by a process comprising: 
 a) reacting a C 4 -olefin mixture over a metathesis catalyst for the preparation of an olefin composition comprising 2-pentene, 3-hexene or mixtures thereof, and optional removal of 2-pentene, 3 hexene, or mixtures thereof,    b) dimerizing the 2-pentene, 3-hexene or mixtures thereof obtained in stage a) over a dimerization catalyst to give a mixture containing C 10-12 -olefins, and optional removal of the C 10-12 -olefins,    c) reacting the mixture containing C 10-12 -olefins or the C 10-12 -olefins obtained in stage b), or optionally a separated C 10-12  fraction, with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylating catalyst to form alkylaromatic compounds,    d) sulfonating the alkylaromatic compounds obtained in stage c), and neutralizing the resultant mixture to give alkylarylsulfonates, and    wherein, in the C 10-12 -olefins, the proportion of monosubstitution products is in the range from 40 to 75% by weight, and the proportion of double-branched products is in the range from 5 to 25% by weight.    
   
   
       19 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the metathesis catalyst in stage a) is selected from compounds of a metal of transition groups VIb, VIIb or VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements.  
   
   
       20 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein, in stage b), a dimerization catalyst is used, which contains at least one element from transition group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and the catalyst composition and the reaction conditions are chosen, such that a dimer mixture is obtained, which contains less than 10% by weight of compounds which have a structural element of the formula I (vinylidene group)  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
       wherein A 1  and A 2  are aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals.  
     
   
   
       21 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the olefins obtained in stage b), have a proportion of unbranched olefins of less than 25% by weight.  
   
   
       22 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein at least 80% of the olefins obtained in stage b), have one branch, or two branches on adjacent carbon atoms, in the range from ¼ to ¾ of the number of carbon atoms in the main chain of the molecule.  
   
   
       23 . The mixture as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein, in stage c), the alkylating catalyst that is used, leads to alkylaromatic compounds which have an alkyl group that has 1 to 3 carbon atoms with an H/C index of 1, wherein the H/C index defines the number of protons per carbon atom in the alkyl group.  
   
   
       24 . A detergent or cleaner comprising, the mixture of alkylarylsulfonates as claimed in claim  8 , and one or more customary ingredients.  
   
   
       25 . The detergent or cleaner as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the one or more customary ingredients comprise at least one member selected from bleaches, bleach activators, bleach stabilizers, inorganic builders, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, organic cobuilders, antiredeposition agents, soil release polymers, color-transfer inhibitors or enzymes.  
   
   
       26 . The detergent or cleaner as claimed in  claim 24 , further comprising one or more auxiliaries, one or more adjuvants, water or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       27 . The detergent or cleaner as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the customary ingredients comprise: 
 0.5 to 50% by weight of at least one anionic and/or nonionic surfactant,    0.5 to 60% by weight of at least one inorganic builder,    0 to 20% by weight of at least one organic cobuilder,    2 to 35% by weight of an inorganic bleach,    0.1 to 20% by weight of a bleach activator, optionally mixed with other bleach activators,    0 to 1% by weight of a bleach catalyst,    0 to 5% by weight of a polymeric color-transfer inhibitor,    0 to 1.5% by weight of a protease,    0 to 1.5% by weight of a lipase,    0 to 1.5% by weight of a soil release polymer, and    customary auxiliaries, adjuvants and water.