Anionic and other derivatives of non-ionic surfactants, methods for making, and uses in emulsion polymerization and polymer dispersions

A method for making an anionic surfactant concentrate, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing at least one alcohol according to the general formula (1):
• R1—OH (I)
• wherein R1 represents a saturated or unsaturated, branched C6-22 radical with an average branching of about 2 to about 8 per radical;
• (b) providing at least one diol according to the general formula (II):
• wherein R2 represents a saturated or unsaturated C8-16 radical;
• (c) combining compound (a) and compound (b) to form a mixture;
• (d) ethoxylating the mixture to obtain a reaction product;
• (e) reacting the reaction product with a compound selected from the group consisting of sulfating agents, phosphating agents, and sulfitation agents to obtain a sulfate, a phosphate ester, or a sulfosuccinate compound, respectively, according to general formula (III):
• R1—O—[CH2—CH2O]n-A (III)
• wherein R1 represents a saturated or unsaturated, branched C6-22 radical with an average branching of about 2 to about 8 per radical, A represents —SO3M, —PO3M, —PO3M2, —OOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, or HOOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, M represents a positive counterion, and n represents a value from 0 to about 100;
• and a compound according to general formula (IV):
• wherein R2 represents a saturated or unsaturated C8-16 radical, A represents —SO3M, —PO3M, —PO3M2, —OOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, or HOOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, M represents a positive counterion, and x and y each represents a value from 0 to about 100, wherein the sum of x and y represents a value of at least 1 to 100;
• and
• (f) diluting with water.

A method for stabilizing an emulsion polymer or a polymer dispersion, comprising the step of:

• adding, to an emulsion polymer or polymer dispersion, from about 0.3% to about 10% by weight of a liquid anionic surfactant composition, based on the total weight of the emulsion polymer or polymer dispersion, comprising:
• (a) a compound according to general formula (III):
• R1—O—[CH2—CH2O]n-A (III)
• wherein R1 represents a saturated or unsaturated, branched C6-22 radical with an average branching of about 2 to about 8 per radical, A represents —SO3M, —PO3M, —PO3M2, —OOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, or HOOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, M represents a positive counterion, and n represents a value from 0 to about 100;
• (b) a compound according to general formula (IV):
• wherein R2 represents a saturated or unsaturated C8-16 radical, each A represents —SO3M, —PO3M, —PO3M2, —OOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, or HOOCCH2CH(SO3Na)COO—, M represents a positive counterion, and x and y each represent a value from 0 to about 100, wherein the sum of x and y represents a value of at least 1 to 100;
• and
• (c) water.