An anionic surfactant of general formula (I) or general formula (II) or mixtures thereof, in which R represents hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having 5 to 25 C atoms, n represents a number from 1 to 21 and m represents a number from 0 to 20, the sum of n and m being less than 22, and X+ represents a charge-balancing cation. The invention also relates to a mixture of the anionic surfactant of general formula (I) and the anionic surfactant of general formula (II), obtainable by reacting a mixture of 3-hydroxymethylcyclopentanol monoalcoholates having secondary and primary alcoholate functions with an electrophilic alkyl, alkenyl, alkylaryl, or alkenylaryl derivative and the subsequent sulfation with a sulfating agent and optionally neutralization. The invention further relates to a method for producing the surfactant and to the use of the surfactant.