Determination of oxyethylene distribution in condensates of primary alcohols with ethylene oxide

A new method has been developed that makes possible determination of the oxyethylene distribution of the condensates of mixed carbon number detergent-range, primary alcohols with ethylene oxide over a wide range. Circular thin layer chromatography of the 3,5-dinitrobenzoate ester derivatives is used to separate the condensates into a series of groups, each group containing all of the compounds present having the same number of oxyethylene units. These groups of esters are recovered and determined by a spectrophotometric procedure. Distribution curves are obtained that cover the range of added oxyethylene units from 0 to as high as 18. Higher adducts are recovered and determined as a group. Presented at the AOCS Meeting in New York, October, 1968.