| abstract |
Glycosiduronic acids, such as alkyl glycosiduronic acids or alkenyl glycosiduronic acids, which may be used in the preparation of surfactant compositions, such as detergents and cleansers, are prepared by reacting an oxidised mono-, oligo-, or polysaccharide with up to 10 monomer units with one or more fatty alcohols having 8-22 carbon atoms in the presence of a catalyst, preferably in bulk, and after acetalisation removing the excess alcohol. Preferably the oxidised monosaccharide used is glucuronic acid and/or glucuronic acid-3,6-lactone. |