Gas chromatographic analysis for alpha-olefin sulfonate

The separation and determination of alkene sulfonate and hydroxyalkane sulfonate, and the carbon chain distribution of the lipophilic groups of long chain alpha-olefin sulfonates (C₁₄ to C₁₈) were studied by means of gas chromatography. Samples were hydrogenated initially, and converted to sulfonyl chlorides for gas chromatographic analysis. Using a glass column, 4 mm i.d. and 2.5 m long, packed with Silicon SE-30, 3% on 60 to 80 mesh Chromosorb WAW treated with hexamethyldisilazane, a 0.3 to 0.6 μl sample, as 10% carbon tetrachloride solution, was injected directly on the column, and alkane and monochloroalkane sulfonyl chloride were determined as alkyl chloride and alkyl dichloride, respectively. Minimization of further decomposition, improvement of peak separation and reproducibility were accomplished by this procedure. The method was applied to alpha-olefin sulfonates produced commercially from C₁₄ to C₁₈ alpha-olefins.