Sulph(on)ation process

A continuous cyclic process for sulph(on)ating a sulph(on)atable organic feedstock by reacting said feedstock with sulphur trioxide comprising

• forming a reactant liquid substantially free of inert diluent and comprising the organic feedstock and its sulph(on)ation derivative which has been recycled,
• passing said reactant liquid through a static mixer without any moving parts and also passing undiluted liquid or gaseous sulphur trioxide through said static mixer to contact said reactant liquid and form a reaction mixture, said reactant liquid being in a condition of turbulent flow at the point of contact of the sulphur trioxide and said reactant liquid and thereafter in the zone of reaction of sulphur trioxide and said reactant liquid,
• removing a portion of the reaction mixture as sulph(on)ated product, the weight ratio of reaction mixture removed as said product to the remainder of the reaction mixture being in the range of about 1:40 to 1:2000,
• cooling said reaction mixture before and/or after removing said portion of the reaction mixture as said product,
• recycling said remainder of said reaction mixture and adding additional organic feedstock to said remainder of said reaction mixture to compensate for that removed as said product to form said reactant liquid, and
• maintaining the temperature of said reactant liquid and said reaction mixture throughout the process within a maximum temperature differential of 10.degree. C. and maintaining said reactant liquid and reaction mixture in said cyclic process under no externally applied vacuum.