Abstract: An alkoxylation catalyst is prepared by a) reaction of one mol of a dicarboxylic acid with from 1.5 to 8 mol of an alkoxylated alcohol to form the corresponding dicarboxylic monoester, b) formation of an alkaline earth metal salt of the dicarboxylic monoester by addition of water and from 0.45 to 0.55 mol of a basic alkaline earth metal compound per mol of dicarboxylic acid originally used, c) partial neutralization of the alkaline earth metal salt by addition of from 0.25 to 0.7 mol of H2SO4 per mol of basic alkaline earth metal compound originally used and d) removal of the water present at a temperature of less than 100° C. The catalyst prepared in this way makes it possible to prepare colorless alkoxylates having a narrow homologue distribution.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of ether carboxylic acids or alkali metal or ammonium salts thereof with low residual alcohol content, which comprises firstly converting a mono- or polyhydric alcohol into the corresponding alkoxide using a substoichiometric amount between 5 and 95 mol % of a basic compound, and then reacting the alkoxide with alkylene oxides, and, if necessary after distilling off the residual alcohol which remains, alkylating the highly alkaline reaction mixture, which comprises more than 5 mol % of alkoxylated alkoxides, directly with a chloroacetic acid derivative, and, if necessary, converting the alkylated product into the free ether carboxylic acid by acidification with mineral acid.

Abstract: Detergents, cleaning compositions and disinfectants comprising a chlorine-active substances and fatty acid alkyl ester ethoxylates Detergents, cleaning compositions and disinfectants comprising a chlorine-active substance and a fatty acid alkyl ester ethoxylate of the formula RO(CH2CH2O)nCOR1 in which R is C1-C4-alkyl, R1 is C5-C22-alkyl or C5-C22-alkenyl, and n is a number from 1 to 30.

Abstract: According to the invention, the alkoxylation of compounds containing active hydrogen atoms is carried out in the presence of specific alkaline earth metal salts of alkylor alkenylsuccinic monoesters as catalyst. The alkoxylates obtained have a narrow homolog distribution and a good appearance.

Abstract: Stable and homogeneous aqueous formulations of surfactantsStable and homogeneous aqueous formulations of surfactants having an HLB value of less than or equal to 13, which additionally contain a compound of the formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl, phenyl, alkylphenyl or phenalkyl having in each case 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain or cyclohexyl, R.sup.2 is hydrogen or one of the radicals mentioned for R.sup.1, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, together with the nitrogen atom, are a heterocyclic radical, M is an alkali metal cation, an ammonium cation or one equivalent of an alkaline earth metal or aluminium cation and m and n in each case independently of one another are numbers from 6 to 8.By the presence of the compounds of the formula I, it is possible to prepare stable and homogeneous aqueous formulations even from those surfactants which are otherwise only sparingly soluble or not soluble at all in water.

Abstract: In the process described for the preparation of alkoxylates having a narrow distribution of homologs by reaction of compounds containing at least one hydroxyl group with alkylene oxide, complex compounds of antimony pentahalide with a special Lewis base are used as the catalysts. Alkoxylates having a narrow distribution of homologs and good color quality are obtained at a high conversion.

Abstract: A novel process for the purification of an alkylene oxide adduct which has been prepared using halogen-containing metal catalysts and contains halogen-containing compounds and also metals as impurities comprises treating the alkylene oxide adduct which is to be purified with an excess of alkali metal compound and adjusting the pH of the alkaline mixture obtained to a value of at most 7 using an acid, with the proviso that the water content of the product mixture which is then present is at least 0.1% by weight, relative to the weight of the product. This product mixture is freed from water and other solvents, this resulting in the precipitation in coarse crystalline form of salts which are insoluble in the alkylene oxide adduct and which can be easily separated off to isolate the desired pure alkylene oxide adduct.

Abstract: Compounds of the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.1 denotes a group of the formula ##STR2## R.sub.2 denotes C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, R.sub.3 denotes hydrogen or methyl, n denotes a number from 5 to 100, m denotes an integer from 0 to 4 and x denotes the number of free valences of the particular R.sub.1 radical, a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as fiber spin finishes.

Abstract: The new compounds consist essentially of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block polymer units and oxyalkyleneated alkylphenol/aldehyde resin units, which are linked by methylene groups. They are prepared by reacting a block polymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide and an oxyalkyleneated alkylphenol/aldehyde resin with formaldehyde. The new compounds constitute especially advantageous breaking agents for petroleum.