Abstract: The invention relates to novel sulfobetaine-substituted .alpha.-sulfonylcarboxylic acids of the general formula I and to processes for the preparation thereof. As organic intermediates, the compounds according to formula I represent a reactive synthesis component having the character of a sulfobetaine and can be used for further syntheses. In the case of a long-chain alkyl radical R.sub.1, polyfunctional surfactants are obtained. According to the invention, molar quantities of diallylammonium chloride are reacted with chloroacetic acid and twice the molar quantity of sodium hydrogen sulfite in the presence of a catalytic quantity of a peroxodisulfate, and the reaction solution obtained is converted, after addition of a catalytic quantity of iodide, by heating into sulfobetaine-substituted .alpha.-sulfonylacetic acids according to the general formula I.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel 3-chloromethylsulfonylmethyl-4-sulfomethyl-pyrrolidinium betaines (chloromethylsulfonyl-sulfobetaines) of the general formula I and to processes for the preparation thereof. The compounds according to the formula I can be used as organic intermediates for further syntheses or, if they contain a long-chain alkyl radical, as polyfunctional surfactants. Molar quantities of diallylammonium chloride are reacted with dichloroacetic acid and twice the molar quantity of sodium hydrogen sulfite in the presence of a catalytic quantity of a peroxodisulfate and, after the addition of a catalytic quantity of iodide, the reaction solution obtained is converted by heating to 3-chloro-methylsulfonylmethyl-4-sulfomethyl-pyrrolidinium betaines (chloromethylsulfonyl-sulfobetaines) of the general formula I.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel 3-methylsulfonylmethyl-4-sulfomethyl-pyrrolidinium betaines (methylsulfonyl-sulfobetaines) of the general formula I, which can be used as intermediates for further syntheses or, if they contain a long-chain alkyl radical, as polyfunctional surfactants or hydrotopes [sic]. Molar quantities of a diallylammonium salt are reacted together with chloroacetic acid and twice the molar quantity of sodium hydrogen sulfite in the presence of a catalytic quantity of a peroxodisulfate and the reaction solution obtained is, after addition of a catalytic quantity of iodide as well as calcium carbonate, converted to 3-methylsulfonylmethyl-4-sulfomethyl-pyrrolidinium betaines I by heating until the evolution of carbon dioxide has ceased.