설명(영) |
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Alkoxylated alcohols are Ethers formed from the reaction of an Alcohol with an alkylene oxide, generally ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. Because the ether formed from the reaction of one molecule of an alcohol with one molecule of the alkylene oxide is also an alcohol, the reaction with the alkylene oxide can continue until the latter is consumed.
In this synthesis, the hydroxyl group of the starting alcohol is converted to an ether linkage; however, the end products of the reactions are also alcohols since they contain at least one terminal hydroxyl group.
The original alcohol may be aliphatic, heterocyclic, or aromatic (Phenol), and the alkylene oxide may carry various substituents, R', e.g., H, CH3, and the like. Mixtures of alkylene oxides may also be used in the alkoxylation reaction. In addition, n can vary widely. As a result, a large number of alkoxylated alcohols of widely different character can be synthesized.
They are useful in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products as surfactants, emulsifiers, solubilizers, and conditioners. Their use is particularly attractive in light of their chemical inertness to hydrolytic decomposition. Compounds identified by the names laneth, laureth or octoxynol are typical representatives of this group of materials. |