Abstract: A process for making a surfactant composition involving: (a) providing a starting mixture containing: (i) an aqueous alkali solution; (ii) at least one amino acid and/or a salt thereof; (iii) a fatty acid chloride; (iv) an acylatable surfactant precursor selected from the group consisting of a protein hydrolyzate, a polyamino acid, an aminosulfonic acid, an amino sugar, a nonionic surfactant, and mixtures thereof; and (v) up to about 15% by weight, based on the weight of the starting mixture, of a polyol component; (b) providing a stirring mechanism; and (c) reacting (ii) and (iii), with stirring, to form the surfactant composition.

Abstract: A method of producing fatty acid polyglycol ester sulfates of the general formula (I): R1COO(AO)nSO3M  (I) is disclosed, wherein R1CO represents a linear or branched, aliphatic, saturated and/or unsaturated acyl radical with 6 to 22 carbon atoms, AO represents CH2CH2O, CHCH3CH2O and/or CH2CHCH3, n represents a number from about 0.5 to about 5 and M represents a cation. The disclosed process comprises the sulfation of fatty acid polyglycol esters followed by neutralization, wherein the neutralization is carried out at a pH of from about 5 to about 9.

Abstract: Quaternary ammonium salts of fatty acid hydroxyalkanesulfonic acids are made by reacting a hydroxyalkanesulfonic acid of the formula (I):HO--(C.sub.n H.sub.2n)--SO.sub.3 H (I):wherein n=2 to 4 with a fatty acid having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms at a temperature range of from about 60.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. and at a reduced pressure followed b reaction with an amine in an organic solvent.