Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising water, at least one surfactant, at least one ester of levulinic acid with a fatty alcohol and a water-soluble salt. Furthermore the present invention relates to the use of at least one ester of levulinic acid with a fatty alcohol for increasing the viscosity of a composition comprising water and at least one surfactant.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixtures of alkyl sulfosuccinate monoesters of general formulas (I) and/or (II), in which R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having 6 to 22 C atoms, and X and Y independently represent a hydrogen atom or a cation that can form a water-soluble salt and is selected from among the group composed of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonia, and organic ammonia. The invention is characterized in that the mixture contains 30 to 70 percent by weight of C16 alkyl sulfosuccinate monoester and 30 to 70 percent by weight of C18 alkyl sulfosuccinate monoester, the percentages by weight being in relation to the total amount of alkyl sulfosuccinate monoesters of formulas (I) and (II). The invention also relates to the use of said mixtures in cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical preparations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising water, at least one surfactant, at least one ester of levulinic acid with a fatty alcohol and a water-soluble salt. Furthermore the present invention relates to the use of at least one ester of levulinic acid with a fatty alcohol for increasing the viscosity of a composition comprising water and at least one surfactant.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixtures of alkyl sulfosuccinate monoesters of general formulas (I) and/or (II), in which R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having 6 to 22 C atoms, and X and Y independently represent a hydrogen atom or a cation that can form a water-soluble salt and is selected from among the group composed of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonia, and organic ammonia. The invention is characterized in that the mixture contains 30 to 70 percent by weight of C16 alkyl sulfosuccinate monoester and 30 to 70 percent by weight of C18 alkyl sulfosuccinate monoester, the percentages by weight being in relation to the total amount of alkyl sulfosuccinate monoesters of formulas (I) and (II). The invention also relates to the use of said mixtures in cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical preparations.

Abstract: A process for reducing the amount of halocarbons in a mixture containing water and at least one of an alkyl or alkenyl glycoside carboxylic acid. The amount of halocarbon is reduced by heating the mixture at a temperature of 50° C. to 120° C. at a pH of from 10-14. The amount of organomonochloro compounds can be reduced to a range of 5 ppm or less and the amount of organodichloro compounds can be reduced to a range of 30 ppm.

Abstract: An aqueous surfactant mixture comprised of an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside ether carboxylic acid is made by a process comprising reacting in an aqueous solution an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside and an ?-halocarboxylic acid or a salt or ester thereof in the presence of alkali.

Abstract: Compositions containing an alkyl or alkenyl oligoglycoside and mixtures thereof, and a hydroxycarboxylic acid partial ester of an alkoxylated alcohol are provided.

Abstract: A process for reducing the amount of halocarbons in a mixture containing water and at least one of an alkyl or alkenyl glycoside carboxylic acid. The amount of halocarbon is reduced by heating the mixture at a temperature of 50° C. to 120° C. at a pH of from 10-14. The amount of organomonochloro compounds can be reduced to a range of 5 ppm or less and the amount of organodichloro compounds can be reduced to a range of 30 ppm.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixtures of mono-, di-, and tri-esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids and to a process for producing them. The hydroxycarboxylic acid is preferably citric acid. In the disclosed process, hydroxycarboxylic acids or salts thereof are reacted with a mixture of alcohols corresponding to general formulae (I) R1—OH and (II) R2—(C2H4)n—OH, where R1 and R2 independently of one another represent a saturated or unsaturated, branched or unbranched C6-22 alkyl group and n is a number of 1 to 20, at temperatures of 120 to 180° C., wherein the compounds of formulae (I) and (II) are used in a ratio by weight of 10:1 to 1:10, and preferably in a ratio of 10:1 to 1:1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of surface active agent mixtures containing alkyl/and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside/ether carboxylic acids. The invention is characterized in that an aqueous solution from at least one alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside is reacted in the presence of alkali with an &ohgr;-halogen carboxylic acid, its salts or ester.

Abstract: Processes for preparing alkoxylated nonionic surfactants are disclosed, wherein a compound having at least one active hydrogen atom, a carboxylic acid ester or mixtures thereof are reacted with an alkylene oxide in the presence of a hydrotalcite catalyst to form a reaction product mixture; and the reaction product mixture is combined with an acid in at least an equimolar amount based on the amount of the catalyst present.

Abstract: A process for making alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters involving: (a) providing a fatty acid alkyl ester; (b) providing an alkylene oxide component; (c) providing a primary catalyst; (d) providing a co-catalyst selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal, a tin salt and mixtures thereof; and (e) reacting (a)-(d) to make the alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl ester.

Abstract: The invention relates to textile softener concentrates based on pentaerythritol and/or dipentaerythritol fatty acid partial esters. The dispersibility of such softener concentrates in cold water can be significantly improved by addition of a special emulsifier combination of quaternary ammonium compounds and nonionic compounds. The quaternary ammonium compounds are quaternized alkoxylated alkylamines and/or esterquats. Ethoxylated and/or propoxylated fatty acids or fatty acid esters and end-capped fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers are suitable nonionic emulsifiers.