Alkoxylated unsaturated fatty acids and uses thereof

Abstract

Alkoxylated fatty acids are disclosed herein, as well as methods of making and using such compounds. In some embodiments, the alkoxylated fatty acids are formed from monomers derived from natural oils. In some embodiments, the alkoxylated fatty acids are used as surfactants for making synthetic latex by emulsion polymerization. In some other embodiments, the alkoxylated fatty acids are used as surfactants for making synthetic rubber, such as styrene-butadiene rubber. In some other embodiments, the alkoxylated fatty acids are used as surfactants in a composition for treatment of gas or oil wells, for cleaning applications, for use in various laundry-related applications, for use in personal care compositions, or for use as solvents for coating applications, such as reactive and non-reactive waterborne coating applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compound of formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:
 R 1  is a hydrogen atom or C 1-6  alkyl; 
 G 1  is C 1-4  alkylene 
 R 2  is a hydrogen atom, C 1-5  alkyl, or C 2-5  alkenyl; and 
 n is an integer from 1 to 50. 
 
       
     
     
         2 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  is a hydrogen atom. 
     
     
         3 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  is C 1-6  alkyl. 
     
     
         4 . The compound of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  is methyl or ethyl. 
     
     
         5 . The compound of any one of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein G1 is, independently at each occurrence, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH(CH 3 )—CH 2 —, —CH 2 —CH(CH 3 )—, or —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —. 
     
     
         6 . The compound of  claim 5 , wherein G 1  is —CH 2 —CH 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The compound of any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein R 2  is a hydrogen atom. 
     
     
         8 . The compound of any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein R 2  is C 1-5  alkyl. 
     
     
         9 . The compound of  claim 8 , wherein R 2  is methyl or ethyl. 
     
     
         10 . The compound of any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein R 2  is C 2-5  alkenyl. 
     
     
         11 . The compound of  claim 10 , wherein R 2  is —CH 2 —CH═CH 2  or —CH 2 —CH═CH—CH 2 —CH 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The compound of any one of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein n is an integer from 6 to 30. 
     
     
         13 . The compound of  claim 12 , wherein n is an integer from 6 to 50. 
     
     
         14 . The compound of  claim 12 , wherein n is an integer from 6 to 18. 
     
     
         15 . The compound of  claim 12 , wherein n is an integer from 8 to 16. 
     
     
         16 . The compound of  claim 12 , wherein n is an integer from 9 to 15. 
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising:
 water; and   one or more compounds of any one of  claims 1  to  16 .   
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , further comprising one or more monomers. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more monomers comprise monomers for forming a synthetic latex. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more monomers comprise free-radical-polymerizable monomers. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more monomers comprise monomers selected from the group consisting of vinyl compounds, acrylic acid, acrylates, alkenes, halo-substituted alkenes, nitrile-substituted alkenes, styrene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  21 , further comprising a free radical initiator. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  22 , wherein the composition is an emulsion having a dispersed phase and a continuous phase. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23 , wherein the continuous phase comprises water. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 23  or  24 , wherein the dispersed phase comprises at least a portion of the one or more monomers. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  25 , further comprising one or more additional comonomers. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  26 , further comprising one or more surfactants. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 27 , wherein the one or more surfactants are selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, ionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  28 , further comprising one or more non-surfactant stabilizers. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of any one of  claims 17  to  29 , further comprising one or more additives, such as chain transfer agents, buffering agents, and salts. 
     
     
         31 . A polymer composition, which is formed from a reaction mixture, wherein the reaction mixture is a composition of any one of  claims 17  to  30 . 
     
     
         32 . The polymer composition of  claim 31 , wherein the polymer composition is a synthetic latex. 
     
     
         33 . A method of forming a polymer composition, the method comprising:
 providing a composition of any one of  claims 18  to  30 ; and   reacting the one or more monomers in the composition to form the polymer composition.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the polymer composition is a synthetic latex. 
     
     
         35 . A composition for the treatment of an oil or gas well comprising:
 water; and   one or more compounds of any one of  claims 1  to  16 .   
     
     
         36 . A method for treating an oil or gas well, comprising:
 providing a composition of  claim 35 ; and   introducing the composition to an oil well or a gas well.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the composition is introduced to the oil well or gas well under hydraulic pressure.