| abstract |
A process for preparing a C<SUB>13</SUB>-alcohol mixture comprises a) bringing a butene-containing C<SUB>4</SUB>-hydrocarbon stream containing less than 5% by weight, based on the butene fraction, of isobutene into contact with a nickel-containing heterogeneous catalyst at elevated temperature, b) isolating a C<SUB>12</SUB>-olefin fraction from the reaction mixture, c) hydroformylating the C<SUB>12</SUB>-olefin fraction by reaction with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a cobalt catalyst and d) hydrogenating the product from c). The alcohol mixture is suitable for preparing surfactants by alkoxylation, glycosidation, sulfation, phosphation, alkoxylation and subsequent sulfation or alkoxylation and subsequent phosphation. |