Sodium n-tridecyl sulphate

White crystalline powder

Sodium n-tridecyl sulfate acts as a foaming agent and a wetting agent. It is used as a cleaning agent and finds application in industrial and household cleaning products and personal care products. Further, it serves as an emulsifying agent in the transport of hydrocarbons. In addition to this, it acts as an anionic surfactant.

To a three-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, dropping funnel, condenser, and drying tube, and containing 200 gm (1.0 mole) of tridecyl alcohol, is added dropwise 116.5 gm (1.0 mole) of chlorosulfonic acid at such a rate that the temperature does not exceed 25°C. After the addition, a nitrogen stream is passed through the reaction mixture to purge it of any remaining hydrogen chloride. The product is neutralized and worked up as in Preparation 2-3 to give 293 gm (97%) of product.