Synthesis of bleach activators

A process for preparing a 4-sulfophenyl-[(1-oxyalkanoyl)amino]alkanoate comprising the steps of:

• reacting an acetoxy benzene sulfonate salt with a high purity amido carboxylic acid, wherein said high purity amido carboxylic acid comprises least about 90% by weight, of an amido carboxylic acid of the formula:
• wherein R is C5-C21 hydrocarbyl, R1 is selected from hydrogen and C1-C3 alkyl, and n is an integer from about 1 to about 8;
• and less than about 10% by weight, of color forming bodies;
• wherein said process is performed in the presence of less than 10 ppm of transition metal.