Abstract: The present invention provides a dispersant composition that is obtained by condensing an aldehyde, preferably formaldehyde, with a sulfonated middle fraction obtained from the distillation of coal tar. The middle fraction, prior to sulfonation, includes greater than 55% to about 95% by weight naphthalene and from about 5% to less than 45% by weight of a plurality of compounds selected from the group consisting of quinoline, indene, biphenyl, indane, acenaphthene, anthracene, phenanthrene, methyl naphthalene, cresol, phenol, xylenol, and tetralin. The condensation product is reacted with a base such as sodium hydroxide to form a salt polymer having a weight average molecular weight between about 2,000 and 40,000. Salt polymers formed in accordance with the method of the invention are useful as dispersants and plasticizers in aqueous cementitious slurries.