The present invention provides sulfur- or selenium-containing compounds comprising hydrophobic moieties and ethoxylated ester or ethoxylated amide moieties such that the compounds have surfactant properties. Also provided are methods for using the disclosed compounds or mixtures thereof in a variety of applications.

The present invention provides sulfur- or selenium-containing compounds comprising hydrophobic moieties and ethoxylated ester or ethoxylated amide moieties such that the compounds have surfactant properties. Also provided are methods for using the disclosed compounds or mixtures thereof in a variety of applications.

A detergent composition that includes from 1 to 40 wt. % of a secondary alkane sulfonate surfactant with an average of 15 to 18 carbon atoms in a linear alkane chain, from 1 to 40 wt. % of an anionic surfactant other than the secondary alkane sulfonate surfactant, and from 0.01 to 8% of an alkyl hydroxysultaine co-surfactant. Greater than 50 wt. % of the alkyl chain of the secondary alkane sulfonate is C15 to C18 secondary alkane sulfonate.