Synthesis, characterization, and functional evaluation of branched dodecyl phenol polyoxyethylene ethers: a novel class of surfactants with excellent wetting properties

Abstract

A series of branched dodecyl phenol polyoxyethylene ethers (b-DPEO_n) were successfully synthesized via alkylation and ethylene oxide addition reactions. The alkylation reaction was conducted by using a branched internal olefin as the raw material. Furthermore, the conversion rate of the branched dodecene was measured to be 98.1% and the selectivity towards branched dodecyl phenol (b-DP) was 95.9%. Moreover, b-DPEO_n (b-DPEO₇, b-DPEO₁₀, b-DPEO₁₂) were obtained via the reaction of ethylene oxide with b-DP. Notably, b-DPEO₁₀ can efficiently reduce the surface tension of water below 31.55 mN m⁻¹ at the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and the cmc value in water was approximately 1.3 × 10⁻² g L⁻¹ at 25 °C. The preferable wetting ability of b-DPEO₁₀ was superior to that of commercialized dodecyl phenol polyoxyethylene ether (c-DPEO_n), so it will be promoted and used in the textile and pesticide industries.