Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions for the treatment of the skin containing up to 25% by weight of at least one polymer having carboxyl or carboxylate groups and hydroxyl groups of chiefly rectilinear or cross-linked C--C compounds, the ratio of carboxyl or carboxylate groups to hydroxyl groups in said polymer being in excess of 0.5:1, and particularly between 1.1:1 and 16:1, preferably between 2:1 and 9:1, and the polymerization degree being at least 3, preferably 3 to 300; as well as the method of skin treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in the process of alkoxylation of compounds containing alcoholic hydroxyl groups by reacting compounds containing hydroxyl groups with alkylene oxides in the presence of alkoxylation catalysts. The said improvement involves the use of a tertiary oxonium salt with a substantially non-polarizable halogeno-complex anion as the said alkoxylation catalyst. Use of such catalysts gives lower amounts of unreacted alcohols in the products, particularly when secondary alkanols of 8 to 24 carbon atoms are employed.

Abstract: A process for the production of secondary alcohol ether sulfates which consists essentially of reacting adducts of secondary alkanols having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms adducted with 1 to 10 mols of an alkylene oxide selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, said adduct having at least 1 mol of oxypropylene per mol of alcohol, with at least a molecular equivalent of a sulfating agent stronger than concentrated sulfuric acid at temperatures of from 0.degree.C to 50.degree.C and recovering said secondary alcohol ether sulfate.THE PRIOR ARTAt present secondary alcohols can be prepared from inexpensive raw materials, such as by oxidation of paraffins, substantially simpler than the preparation of primary alcohols. However, up to now the practical use of secondary alcohols is limited to non-ionic products prepared from them.

Abstract: Polyalkylene glycol ethers of .beta.-hydroxymercaptans of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl having from 2 to 22 carbon atoms, haloalkyl having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, cycloalkylalkyl having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms and alkenyl having from 3 to 22 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are members selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, and R.sub.1 and when taken together alkylene having from 3 to 4 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the sum of the carbon atoms in R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is from 4 to 22; A is a bivalent member having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of alkylene, haloalkylene and hydroxyalkylene; n is an integer from 0 to 50; m is an integer from 1 to 50; and the sum of n and m is an integer from 1 to 50. The compounds have surface-active properties and are useful per se or as intermediates.