Alcoxilatos de alcoholes grasos insaturados a partir de la metátesis de aceites naturales

Un alcoxilato de alcohol graso elaborado a partir de una composición de alcohol graso monoinsaturado, en donde la composición de alcohol graso se prepara mediante la reducción de un éster de alquilo monoinsaturado derivado de metátesis, en donde el alcoxilato de alcohol graso tiene la estructura general: R-CH=CH-(CH2)7-CH2O-(AO)n-H, en donde R es H o alquilo C2; AO es un grupo oxialquileno; y n, que es el número promedio de grupos oxialquileno, tiene un valor dentro del intervalo de 1 a 50. Unsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylates, processes for making them, and methods of using them are disclosed. In one aspect, a monounsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylate is made by reducing a metathesis-derived monounsaturated alkyl ester, followed by alkoxylation of the resulting monounsaturated alcohol. Microscopy reveals that the monounsaturated alkoxylates have isotropic and lamellar phases over a wider range of actives levels compared with their saturated analogs. This attribute expands formulating latitude for many end-use applications. The unsaturated fatty alcohol alkoxylates are valuable in, for example, agricultural solvents, nonionic emulsifiers for agricultural compositions, hard surface cleaners, laundry detergents, specialty foams, additives or surfactants for paints or coatings, and surfactant compositions for enhanced oil recovery.