Dodecylbenzene is an organic compound with the molecular formula C18H30 (structurally C12H25C6H5). Dodecylbenzene is a colorless liquid with a weak odor and floats on water.
Dodecylbenzene is a linear alkylbenzene consisting of a dodecyl group (C12H25−) attached to a phenyl group (−C6H5). Dodecylbenzene is a precursor to sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, a surfactant that is a key ingredient of household laundry detergents, such as detergent powder.Kurt Kosswig,"Surfactants" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Wiley-VCH, 2005, Weinheim.
Production This compound and some related linear alkylbenzenes are produced industrially by alkylation of benzene with the corresponding terminal alkenes in the presence of hydrogen fluoride, aluminium trichloride, or related acids used as the catalyst: R−CH=CH2 + C6H6 → R−CH2−CH2−C6H5 The resulting linear alkylbenzene compounds are sulfonated on the benzene ring to give the corresponding sulfonic acids. The sulfonation for dodecylbenzene: C12H25C6H5 + SO3 → C12H25C6H4SO3H This sulfonation can be highly specific to place the sulfonic acid group across the ring, in the 4-position (para to the alkyl group). The resulting sulfonic acid is then neutralized with base to give the corresponding linear alkylbenzenesulfonate salt. The dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid reaction with the base sodium hydroxide: C12H25C6H4SO3H + OH− → C12H25C6H4SO3− + H2O Subsequently, the finished product is blended with other components for the manufacturing of cleaning products.
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