Paraffin wax or petrolatum is cracked so as to produce a product containing olefines having more than six carbon atoms in the molecule, the latter is treated with excess of a strong sulphating agent at a temperature below about 50 DEG F., and the excess acid is removed or the free acid is reduced to below about 60 per cent concentration without permitting a rise in temperature. This may be done by diluting or neutralizing with adequate cooling or by extraction of acid or sulphated products by means of solvents. The products are stated to have wetting and detergent properties. Cooling may be effected by direct or indirect heat-exchange, using liquid refrigerants such as propane, butane, pentane, liquid sulphur dioxide. For mixing the reagents, turbomixers, opposed jets, baffles, &c. may be employed. In examples, cracked petrolatum or paraffin wax is treated with oleum with cooling and vigorous agitation and is neutralized with caustic soda while maintaining the temperature below 20 DEG F. The product is worked up by means of isopropyl alcohol to separate inorganic salts and unattached oils, and is dried after addition of slight excess of ammonia. The treatment of the cracked wax or petrolatum may be effected in the presence of other reactive compounds such as fats, fatty acids, alcohols, oxidized petroleums and paraffin wax, coal tar distillates, ethers, esters, aldehydes, ketones, phenols, naphthenic acids, polymerized animal and vegetable oils, resins, terpenes, amines, sulphur compounds, chlorinated wax, naphthalene, diphenyl, and diphenyloxide. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the subject-matter of the parent Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.
