Abstract: The present invention is related to synthesis of highly pure cationic surfactant products by eliminating or reducing impurities generation that has beset prior art. This is achieved through the N-acylation of ester of amino acid and its inorganic salts or its organic salts (e.g. amino acid or hydrochloride of amino acid or sulfate of amino acid or acetate of amino acid etc.) in non-hydrolytic or nearly non-hydrolytic reaction conditions involving mono or biphasic reaction system with fatty acid halide (C4 to C20), under moderate uniform basic condition yielding high purity N-acyl substituted amino acid ester, particularly ethyl lauroyl arginate. The present process achieves pH control through process strategy rather than the measurement and control steps. This ambient temperature process is stable through a range of temperature variation eliminating rigid low temperature control.