Abstract: According to the invention, waste materials containing amido-carboxylic acid esters, which are generated during the preparation of phenyl ester salts, can be converted into amido-carboxylic acids. The recovered amido-carboxylic acid is then useful in the preparation of additional phenyl ester salt by the original preparation process or other processes known in the art. The process of the invention combines a waste material containing amido-carboxylic acid esters with an aqueous solution of a strong acid having a pH less than about 1 to form a mixture. The process heats the mixture to a temperature of at least 90° C. and maintains the mixture at that temperature for a time sufficient to hydrolyze the amido-carboxylic acid esters to amido-carboxylic acids. Sufficient base is the added to adjust the pH of the mixture to greater than about 2. The mixture is then maintained at a temperature of at least 80° C.

Abstract: According to the invention, waste materials containing amido-carboxylic acid esters, which are generated during the preparation of phenyl ester salts, can be converted into amido-carboxylic acids. The recovered amido-carboxylic acid is then useful in the preparation of additional phenyl ester salt by the original preparation process or other processes known in the art. The process of the invention combines a waste material containing amido-carboxylic acid esters with an aqueous solution of a strong acid having a pH less than about 1 to form a mixture. The process heats the mixture to a temperature of at least 90° C. and maintains the mixture at that temperature for a time sufficient to hydrolyze the amido-carboxylic acid esters to amido-carboxylic acids. Sufficient base is the added to adjust the pH of the mixture to greater than about 2. The mixture is then maintained at a temperature of at least 80° C.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for recycling waste material selected from amino-carboxylic acid oligomers or polymers and amido-carboxylic acid oligomers or polymers into amido-carboxylic acids. A mixture containing water, an oligomeric or polymeric waste material, and a carboxylic acid is heated. The mixture is cooled to obtain a two phase system containing an aqueous phase and an organic phase which are separated. Carboxylic acids, unreacted starting materials, and the monomeric amido-carboxylic acid product are distilled from the organic phase. The remaining solid residue composed of high boiling oligomeric amino-carboxylic acids is recycled into Step (A).

Abstract: This invention relates to a 5 step process for preparing a purified alkali metal salt of 4-sulfophenyl-[(1-oxyalkanoyl)amino]alkanoate in one reaction vessel without isolation of intermediates. The steps are as follows: A) reacting an alkali metal salt of 4-hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid with a C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 carboxylic anhydride in a solvent to form an alkali metal salt of 4-acyloxybenzenesulfonic acid and a C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 carboxylic acid. B) adding an [(1-oxyalkanoyl)amino]alkanoic acid and a transesterification catalyst to the reaction product of step A) and heating at a temperature and pressure sufficient to maintain reflux of the solvent and to remove the C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 carboxylic acid from the reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture containing an alkali metal salt of 4-sulfophenyl-[(1-oxyalkanoyl)amino]alkanoate. C) removing the solvent from the reaction mixture formed in step B).

Abstract: This invention relates to a four step process for purifying amido-carboxylic acids by liquid/liquid extraction from a reaction mixture containing an amido-carboxylic acid. The first step involves distilling impurities from a reaction mixture containing an amido-carboxylic acid to form a distillate residue. The second step involves mixing the distillate residue with a nonpolar hydrocarbon solvent wherein the mixture is maintained above the freezing point of the distillate residue. The third step involves allowing the hydrocarbon solvent and distillate residue to achieve phase separation of an organic phase containing the amido-carboxylic acid and an organic phase containing the nonpolar hydrocarbon solvent. The fourth step involves separating the organic phase containing the nonpolar hydrocarbon solvent from the organic phase containing the amido-carboxylic acid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing amido-carboxylic acids in water wherein hydrolysis and amidation reactions are conducted simultaneously in a single vessel. The process involves three steps. The first step involves heating at a temperature of 150.degree. C.-300.degree. C. for 2 to 10 hours, a mixture containing water, a nitrogen containing compound selected from the group consisting of a lactam and an amino acid, and a carboxylic acid or ester. The second step involves cooling the reaction mixture to obtain a two phase system containing an aqueous layer and an organic layer. The third step involves separating the amido-carboxylic acid containing organic layer from the aqueous layer. The presence of water aids in product isolation by phase separation and recycle of the reactants.Amido-carboxylic acids are used to make bleach activators for detergents.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing amido-carboxylic acids in water. The process involves four steps. Step (A) involves hydrolyzing a lactam at a temperature of 150.degree. C.-300.degree. C. to form a mixture containing an amino acid. Step (B) involves cooling the reaction mixture formed in Step (A) to a temperature of 25.degree. C.-100.degree. C. Step (C) involves reacting a carboxylic acid anhydride with the amino acid formed in Step (A) to form a reaction mixture containing an organic layer which contains an amido-carboxylic acid and an aqueous layer. Step (D) involves separating the amido-carboxylic acid containing organic layer from the aqueous layer. The presence of water aids in product isolation by phase separation and recycle of the reactants. Amido-carboxylic acids are used to make bleach activators for detergents.