Sulphonation of organic cpds. using sulphur tri:oxide - with membranes of tetra:fluoroethylene and per:fluorovinyl:ether mixed polymers

摘要

The sulphonating agent and the organic compound to be sulphonated are maintained basically separate from each other, by a membrane which is near enough chemically inert relatively to the partners in the reaction, in the sulphonation of organic compounds. Pref. the membrane is of a perhalogen-carbon polymer which has terminal carbon acid-, phosphonic acid or sulphonic acid radicals or mixtures of these. Used for the production of cationic exchange materials, anionic wetting agents (surfactants), as well as additives to lubricating oil, such as sodium dodecylbenzolsulphonic acid, a main constituent of detergents. Certain types of membranes can be used in non-aqueous environments under conditions which permit a selective contact between partners in a reaction, so that reactions which were previously difficult to control can be carried out easily. The invention overcomes the problems of known processes and yields a sulphonated product which is free from undesired byproducts.