Process for preparing salt-free organic sulfonate detergents

Claim 2

THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT FROM A SULFONATION REACTION MIXTURE CONTAINING ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID AND EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT WHICH COMPRSIES INTRODUCING A CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBONATES AND BICARBONATES OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AMMONIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND LITHIUM INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RESULTANT MIXTUTURES BELOW ABOUT 50* C. TO CAUSE A FOAMY ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE TO SEPARATE FROM AN EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT PHASE AS IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS, SAID CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND BEING INTRODUCED INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE IN AN AMOUNT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5% TO 15% OF THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO COMPLETELY NEUTRALIZED THE SAID MIXTURE, AND RECOVERING SAID ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE.

Claim 3

THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT FROM A SULFONATION REACTION MIXTURE CONTAINING ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID AND EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBONATES AND BICARBONATES OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AMMONIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND LITHIUM INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RESULTANT MIXTURE BELOW ABOUT 50* C. TO CAUSE A FOAMY ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE TO SEPARATE FROM AN EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT PHASE AS IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS, SAID CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND BEING INTRODUCED INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE IN AN AMOUNT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5% TO 15% OF THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO COMPLETELY NEUTRALIZED THE SAID MIXTURE, RECOVERING SAID ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE, NEUTRALIZING THE ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID, AND HEAT DRYING THE RESULTANT MASS TO PRODUCE A DETERGENT COMPOSITION CONTAINING OVER 60% BY WEIGHT OF AN ORGANIC SULFONATE SALT AS THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT.

Claim 4

THE PROCESS OF SEPARATING EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT FROM A SULFONATION REACTION MIXTURE CONTAINING ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID AND EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBONATES AND BICARBONATES OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AMMONIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND LITHIUM INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE WHILE MAINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RESULTANT MIXTURE BELOW ABOUT 50* C. TO CAUSE A FOAMY ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE TO SEPARATE FROM AN EXCESS SULFONATING AGENT PHASE AS IMMISCIBLE LIQUIDS, SAID CARBON DIOXIDE-LIBERATING COMPOUND BEING INTRODUCED INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE IN AN AMOUNT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5% TO 15% OF THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO COMPLETELY NEUTRALIZED THE SAID MIXTURE, RECOVERING SAID ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID PHASE, NEUTRALIZING THE ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID, AND HEAT DRYING THE RESULTANT MASS TO PRODUCE A DETERGENT COMPOSITION CONTAINING OVER 60% BY WEIGHT OF AN ORGANIC SULFONATE SALT AS THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT.