Preparation of beta hydroxylakyl-terminally branched fatty acid amides

A method for making a beta-hydroxylalkyl-terminally branched fatty acid amide having a maximum color value of 5.0 Gardner units, up to about 5% by weight of esteramide by-products and up to about 1% by weight of free amine content, said method comprising:

• heating a quantity of a terminally branched fatty acid in an inert atmosphere to a temperature of between about 40.degree. to about 70.degree. C.;
• adding an antioxidant to said heated fatty acid and mixing for a time period of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 hours;
• adding a stoichiometric excess amount of a beta-hydroxyalkylamine and adjusting the temperature to between about 90.degree. C. and 110.degree. C.;
• adding a minor effective amount of an amidation catalyst to said vessel to form a reaction mixture and increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture to between about 145.degree. to 170.degree. C.;
• permitting the amidation reaction to proceed under generally constant temperature and inert atmosphere conditions until an acid index value (mg KOH/g) of less than about 5.0 is obtained;
• adding a second quantity of an antioxidant to the reaction vessel and reducing the pressure in said reaction vessel until substantially all excess amine is eliminated from said reaction mixture;
• permitting the temperature of the reaction mixture to fall to a temperature of less than about 75.degree. C. while maintaining the inert atmosphere;
• and
• thereafter, permitting the beta-hydroxyalkyl-terminally branched fatty acid amide product to cool to room temperatures.