Sequenced surfactant oligomers of the polyhydroxylated polyether type, process for preparing them and composition containing them

Claim 1

A polyhydroxylated sequenced oligomer surfactant comprising a compound or a mixture of compounds having the formula: HO--C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 OH)O--.sub.n --C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 ZR)O--.sub.m --C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 OH)O--.sub.n' H (I) wherein R is linear alkyl having 4-18 carbons atoms; Z is selected from ##STR30## wherein R 1 and R 2 each independently represent methyl, ethyl or hydroxyethyl, Y represents an anion selected from chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate, methane sulfonate or paratoluene sulfonate, HR 1 N.sup.⊕ V.sup.⊖ and R 1 NO.sup.⊕ H.V.sup.⊖ represents a mineral acid or an organic acid salt of an amine or an amine oxide selected from the hydrochloride, hydrobromide, sulfate, phosphate, acetate, lactate, tartrate, oxalate or succinate thereof, and a represents 0 or 1; --C 2 H 3 (CH 2 OH)O-- represents the two isomers: ##STR31## --C 2 H 3 (CH 2 ZR)O-- represents the two isomers: ##STR32## m represents a whole or decimal number from 2 to 10; n represents a whole or decimal number from 2 to 25; n' represents 0 or a whole or decimal number from 2 to 25; and n + n' represents a whole or decimal number from 2 to 25.