Process for preparing ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants

A process for preparing an ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol having the formula:

• RO(R1O)xCH(CH3)OR2
• wherein R is selected from the group consisting of linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radicals having from about 1 to about 30 carbon atoms;
• R1 may be the same or different, and is independently selected from the group consisting of branched or linear C2 to C7 alkylene in any given molecule;
• x is a number from 1 to about 30;
• and R2 is a six membered substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical;
• comprising the steps of:
• (a) providing a vinyl ether of the formula
• R2OCH═CH2
• wherein R2 is as defined above;
• (b) providing an alkoxylated alcohol of the formula
• RO(R1O)xH
• wherein R, R1, and x, are as defined above;
• (c) reacting the vinyl ether with said alkoxylated alcohol in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst to form the ether-capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol, wherein reaction of the vinyl ether with the alkoxylated alcohol is conducted as a temperature of from about 0° C. to about 60° C. and said catalyst is a sulfonic catalyst;
• and
• (d) quenching the reaction of step (c) by the addition of a base.