Process for preparing (branched-alkyl) arylsulfonates and a (branched-alkyl) arylsulfonate composition

A process for preparing a product comprising branched olefins, said process comprising:

• hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing a paraffinic wax to produce an isoparaffinic composition comprising less than 0.5% quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms, said isoparaffinic composition comprising paraffins having a carbon number of from about 7 to about 18 at least a portion of:
• said paraffins being branched paraffins comprising an average number of branches per paraffin molecule of at least 0.5, said branches comprising a first number of methyl branches and optionally a second number of ethyl branches;
• and,
• exposing said isoparaffinic composition to a dehydrogenation catalyst in an amount and under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate said branched paraffins and to produce said branched olefins comprising less than 0.5% quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms.

A process for preparing branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprising:

• hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing a paraffinic wax to produce an isoparaffinic composition comprising 0.5% or less quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms, said isoparaffinic composition comprising paraffins having a carbon number of from about 7 to about 18, at least a portion of said paraffins being branched paraffins comprising an average number of branches per paraffin molecule of at least 0.5, said branches comprising a first number of methyl branches and optionally a second number of ethyl branches;
• exposing said isoparaffinic composition to a dehydrogenation catalyst in an amount and under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate said branched paraffins and to produce a mixture comprising unconverted paraffins and branched olefins comprising 0.5% or less quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms;
• and
• contacting said branched olefins with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of a quantity of an alkylation catalyst under alkylation conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon, producing said branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.

A process for preparing (branched-alkyl) arylsulfonates comprising:

• hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing a paraffinic wax to produce an isoparaffinic composition comprising 0.5% or less quaternary carbon atoms, said isoparaffinic composition comprising paraffins having a carbon number of from about 7 to about 18/at least a portion of said paraffins being branched paraffins comprising an average number of branches per paraffin molecule of at least 0.5, said branches comprising a first number of methyl branches and optionally a second number of ethyl branches;
• exposing said isoparaffinic composition to a dehydrogenation catalyst in an amount and under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate said branched paraffins and to produce a mixture comprising branched olefins and unconverted paraffins, said branched olefins comprising 0.5% or less quaternary carbon atoms;
• contacting said branched olefins with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of a quantity of an alkylation catalyst under alkylation conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon, producing branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprising 0.5% or less quaternary carbon atoms;
• sulfonating said branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.

A process for preparing (branched-alkyl) arylsulfonates comprising:

• hydrocracking and hydroisomerizing a paraffinic wax to produce an isoparaffinic composition comprising 0.5% or less quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms, said isoparaffinic composition comprising paraffins having a carbon number of from about 7 to about 18, at least a portion of said paraffins being branched paraffins comprising an average number of branches per paraffin molecule of at least 0.5, said branches comprising a first number of methyl branches and optionally a second number of ethyl branches;
• exposing said isoparaffinic composition to a dehydrogenation catalyst in an amount and under dehydrogenation conditions effective to dehydrogenate said branched paraffins and to produce a mixture comprising branched olefins and unconverted paraffins, said branched olefins comprising 0.5% or less quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms;
• contacting said branched olefins with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of a quantity of an alkylation catalyst under alkylation conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon, producing branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons comprising 0.5% or less quaternary aliphatic carbon atoms;
• sulfonating said branched alkyl aromatic hydrocarbons.