US 4,223,129 AGranted

Continuous process for making alkyl aldosides from starch or other carbohydrates

AssigneeA. E. Staley Manufacturing Company

InventorsClaris D. Roth, Kenneth B. Moser, William A. Bomball

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Abstract

A continuous process for making alkyl aldosides from polysaccharides and more particularly mixed alkyl glycosides from starch by direct alcoholysis. A polysaccharide, such as starch, is slurried in an alcohol and passed through a heated, confined zone under pressure in the presence of an acid catalyst to form a mixed alkyl aldoside. The alcohols which may be used include methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol, their isomers and mixtures thereof. Higher alkyl glycosides are surfactants and, in some instances, it is advantageous to use higher alcohols, such as decyl and dodecyl alcohols, to obtain particular surfactant properties in the resulting alkyl glycosides. Mixed alkyl glycosides are useful in detergent applications, and as backbone polymers in polyurethane foams.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for directly and continuously converting a polysaccharide and monohydric alcohol slurry into a glycoside mixture, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) continuously providing to a tubular reaction zone under a positive fluid pressure, a fluid feed slurry consisting essentially of polysaccharide, monohydric alcohol in an amount exceeding the polysaccharide weight and an effective amount of an acid catalyst sufficient to catalyze the conversion of said polysaccharide and monohydric alcohol to a glycoside mixture at an elevated temperature within said reaction zone;
(b) heating said feed slurry within said continuous tubular reaction zone to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to convert said fluid slurry into a fluid glycoside mixture while continuously providing additional feed slurry to said tubular reaction zone under a positive fluid pressure to force the converted fluid glycoside mixture through said tubular reaction zone;
and
(c) rapidly cooling and recovering the converted glycoside mixture from said tubular reaction zone.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.