Method for the production of bleached, low-sultone olefin sulfonates

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Abstract of the Disclosure Aqueous solutions of alkali metal C8-22 .alpha.-olefin sulfonates of light color and of low sultone content are prepared rapidly and at moderate temperatures by: (a) reacting a C8-22 .alpha.-olefin with gaseous sulfur trioxide thereby forming a crude sulfonation product mixture containing C8-22 olefin sulfonic acids,with a content of sultones, (b) bleaching said crude sulfonation product mixture at 30°C to 80°C for 10 to 60 minutes with an aqueous alkaline bleaching solution at a pH of at least 8 (c) heating said diluted bleached sulfonation product mixture containing excess alkali to a temperature of from 140°C to 170°C until the sultone content of said …