Preparation of long-chain alkyl glucoside surfactants by one-step direct Fischer glucosidation, and by transacetalation of butyl glucosides, on Beta zeolite catalysts

Long-chain alkyl glucoside surfactants have been obtained with good convers ions and selectivities by the transacetalation of butyl glucosides with dif ferent fatty alcohols as well as by one-step direct glycosidation, using H- Beta zeolites as catalyst. The influence of the different process variables such as temperature, molar ratio of reactants, and fatty alcohol chain len gth has been investigated. Moreover, the study of the transacetalation proc ess in the presence of II-Beta zeolites with different hydrophobic-hydrophi lic properties has shown the strong influence of this zeolite property on c atalyst deactivation. The rate of decay is lower for the more hydrophobic B eta samples. (C) 1998 Academic Press.