Process for the production of oxyalkane sulfonic acids and their salts

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS OF PRODUCING OXYALKANE SULFONIC ACID SALTS FROM OLEFINIC ALCOHOLS HAVING 4 TO 5 CRABON ATOMS IN THE ALKENE CHAIN AND A WATER-SOLUBLE SALT OF SULFUROUS ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OXIDIZING SUBSTANCE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF OXYGEN, OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS MIXTURES AND OXYGEN-YIELDING PEROXIDES, WHILE VIGOROUSLY AGITATING THE REACTION MIXTURE, THE STEPS COMPRISING PROVIDING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF ABOUT THE STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNT OF THE SULFUROUS ACID SALT NECESSARY FOR SAID REACTION, SAID SOLUTION HAVING SAID OXIDIZING SUBSTANCE HOMOGENEOUSLY DISTRIBUTED THERETHROUGH IN A FINELY DIVIDED STATE, ADDING THE OLEFINIC ALCOHOL TO THE SOLUTION WITHIN A PERIOD OF 1 TO 12 HOURS WHILE INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL SULFUROUS ACID SALT TO MAINTAIN AN EXCESS OF 20 TO 60% OF SULFUROUS ACID IN THE REACTION MIXTURE, AND MAINTAINING THE PH OF THE REACTION MIXTURE AT A VALUE FROM 7 TO 8 THROUGHOUT SAID PERIOD.