Process for the preparation of substantially pure metal salts of organic sulfonic acids

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SUBSTANTIALLY PURE OILSOLUBLE METAL SALTS OF ORGANIC SULFONIC ACIDS WHICH COMPRISES: (A) SULFONATING AN ORGANIC COMPOUND WITH AT LEAST ONE SULFONATING AGENT OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OF OLEUM, SULFURIC ACID, AND SULFUR TRIOXIDE, THEREBY FORMING AN ACID MASS COMPRISING ORGANIC SULFONIC ACID COMPONENTS AND INORGANIC SULFONATING AGENT ACID CONTAMINANTS; (B) TREATING SAID ACID MASS WITH SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS AMMONIA IN SUCH AMOUNTS AND UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS AS TO NEUTRALIZE AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID INORGANIC SULFONATING AGENT ACID CONTAMINANTS PRESENT BUT LESS THAN 75% OF THE ORGANIC SULFONIC ACIDS AND TO FORM AS A SOLID PHASE THE AMMONIA DERIVATIVES OF SAID INORGANIC SULFONATING AGENT CONTAMINANTS; (C) SEPARATING THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS AND INORGANIC SULFONATING AGENT CONTAMINANTS OF THAT MASS; AND THEN (D) REACTING THE ORGANIC COMPONENTS WITH A BASICALLY REACTING METAL COMPOUND IN SUCH AMOUNTS AND UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS AS TO FORM METAL SALTS OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF SAID ORGANIC COMPONENTS.