The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of organosulfate salts of amino acid esters comprising the steps of reacting at least one lactam with at least 3 carbon atoms in the lactam ring with sulfuric acid in an aqueous solution followed by esterification of the reaction product of the previous step with at least 200 mol-% of at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, linear alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, phenoxyalkanols containing one hydroxy group, and mixtures thereof; followed optionally removal of water and/or removal of excess alcohol.

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of organosulfate salts of amino acid esters comprising the steps of reacting at least one lactam with at least 3 carbon atoms in the lactam ring with sulfuric acid in an aqueous solution followed by esterification of the reaction product of the previous step with at least 200 mol-% of at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, linear alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, phenoxyalkanols containing one hydroxy group, and mixtures thereof; followed optionally removal of water and/or removal of excess alcohol.

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of organosulfate salts of amino acid esters comprising the steps of reacting at least one lactam with at least 3 carbon atoms in the lactam ring with sulfuric acid in an aqueous solution followed by esterification of the reaction product of the previous step with at least 200 mol-% of at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, linear alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, phenoxyalkanols containing one hydroxy group, and mixtures thereof; followed optionally removal of water and/or removal of excess alcohol.

The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of organosulfate salts of amino acid esters comprising the steps of reacting at least one lactam with at least 3 carbon atoms in the lactam ring with sulfuric acid in an aqueous solution followed by esterification of the reaction product of the previous step with at least 200 mol-% of at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of linear alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkyl alcohol containing one hydroxy group, linear alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, branched alkylether alcohol containing one hydroxy group, phenoxyalkanols containing one hydroxy group, and mixtures thereof; followed optionally removal of water and/or removal of excess alcohol.

There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

There is disclosed a cyclic process for producing taurine from monoethanolamine comprising the steps of: (a) recovering monoethanolamine sulfate from an aqueous mother liquor solution; (b) reacting the monoethanolamine sulfate with sulfuric acid to form an aqueous solution comprised of monoethanolamine bisulfate; (c) heating the aqueous solution comprised of the monoethanolamine sulfate and optionally added monoethanolamine sulfate to yield 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate ester; and (d) reacting the ester with ammonium sulfite or an alkali sulfite to yield taurine.

For methane activation, various sulfonation systems using SO.sub.3 or H.sub.2SO.sub.4 have been well studied, however, sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2), a preliminary source of SO.sub.3 and H.sub.2SO.sub.4, has not been used successfully. Herein, we report a novel methane sulfonation method to produce methanesulfonic acid (MSA) utilizing sulfur dioxide by a free radical mechanism. In the presence of H.sub.2O.sub.2 as a radical initiator, the reaction of SO.sub.2 and O.sub.2 in trifluoroacetic acid (TFAOH) furnished trifluoroacetylsulfuric acid (TFAOSO.sub.3H), which served as the radical propagator to facilitate H-abstraction of methane at low temperatures. In typical reactions, sulfur dioxide was incorporated into MSA in 75% with high selectivity at 60° C.

For methane activation, various sulfonation systems using SO.sub.3 or H.sub.2SO.sub.4 have been well studied, however, sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2), a preliminary source of SO.sub.3 and H.sub.2SO.sub.4, has not been used successfully. Herein, we report a novel methane sulfonation method to produce methanesulfonic acid (MSA) utilizing sulfur dioxide by a free radical mechanism. In the presence of H.sub.2O.sub.2 as a radical initiator, the reaction of SO.sub.2 and O.sub.2 in trifluoroacetic acid (TFAOH) furnished trifluoroacetylsulfuric acid (TFAOSO.sub.3H), which served as the radical propagator to facilitate H-abstraction of methane at low temperatures. In typical reactions, sulfur dioxide was incorporated into MSA in 75% with high selectivity at 60° C.

A process for producing a bio-based surfactant comprising an alkyl disulphate salt comprises the steps of methanolysis of medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoic acid (mcl-PHA) to provide hydroxy fatty acid methyl ester monomers (HFAME's), reduction of the HFAME's to provide 1,3 alkyl diols, sulphation of the 1,3 alkyl diols to provide 1,3 alkyl disulphates, and neutralisation of the alkyl disulphates to provide a bio-based surfactant comprising 1,3 alkyl disulphate salt. A bio-based surfactant comprising a mixture of medium chain length 1,3 alkyl disulphate salts is also described.