Abstract: N-acylamino carboxylic acids and N-acylamino sulfonic acids and their alkali metal salts from the technical alkali metal salts of amino carboxylic acids and amino sulfonic acids, respectively, with an active content of 50-95% by weight, based on the solids content of the technical alkali metal salts, and from alkyl carboxylates, are prepared by(a) preparing a suspension of the solid anhydrous technical alkali metal salts of the amino carboxylic acids or amino sulfonic acids in the alkyl carboxylates,(b) reacting this suspension by adding more than 30 to 150 mol % of strong bases to give the alkali metal salts of the N-acylamino carboxylic acids or N-acylamino sulfonic acids, and(c) if required preparing therefrom the free N-acylamino carboxylic acids or N-acylamino sulfonic acids in a conventional way by adding acids.

Abstract: The use of endgroup-capped fatty amide alkoxylates IR.sup.1 --CO--NH--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--(AO).sub.x --R.sup.2(I)whereR.sup.1 is C.sub.5 -C.sub.21 -alkyl or -alkenyl,R.sup.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,A is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -alkylene,n is 2 or 3, andx has a value from 1 to 6,as nonionic surfactants or emulsifiers in detergents, cleaners or body care compositions, as surface-active substances for industrial applications in electroplating, in the photographic industry, in petroleum production, in the pharmaceutical industry, in plant feeding and in crop protection formulations, and as surface-active substances in the production of emulsions and pigment and plastic dispersions.

Abstract: 1-(2'-hydroxy- and 2'-sulfatoalkyl)glycosides of formula I ##STR1## where X is a hydroxyl or a sulfato group of the formula OSO.sub.3 M, whereM is hydrogen, an alkali metal or an ammonium cation which can be substituted by organic radicals,R is a C.sub.6 - to C.sub.30 -alkyl or alkylene radical andGly is the radical of a monosaccharide acetalized in the 1-position by the group designated above,are described.The glycosides I are suitable as surfactants or emulsifiers in detergents, cleaning compositions or personal hygiene compositions.

Abstract: The preparation von N-alkanoyl-polyhydroxyalkylamines I in which ##STR1## in which Z stands for the polyhydroxyalkyl radical of a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide,R.sup.1 denotes hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl andR.sup.2 denotes C.sub.1 -C.sub.21 alkyl, by the reaction of polyhydroxyalkylamines of the general formula IIZ--NH--R.sup.1 (II),with alkyl carboxylates of the general formula III ##STR2## in which R.sup.3 denotes a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl radical,in the presence of a basic catalyst, in which(a) all of the ester III is placed in the reactor and is heated to the reaction temperature, and the amine II is metered in in the form of a melt while the reaction proceeds, while alcohol R.sup.3 --OH formed is continuously removed by distillation,(b) the reaction is carried out at a temperature of from 55.degree. to 110.degree. C., and(c) the reaction is carried out in the absence of organic solvents.

Abstract: A compound of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, independently of one another, are each C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 -alkoxy, C.sub.5 -C.sub.10 --cycloalkyl or C.sub.5 -C.sub.10 -aryl, each of which may furthermore contain from 1 to 3 non-adjacent nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur atoms as hetero atoms in the carbon chain or carbon ring and may be substituted by 1 to 3 C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy groups, R.sup.1 or R.sup.2 may be hydrogen or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together form a bridge of 2 to 14 carbon atoms, where some of the carbon atoms may furthermore be part of an aromatic ring system, A is an n-valent organic radical and n is an integer equal to or greater than 2.