alkylbenzene sulfonate

Alkylbenzene sulfonate is a chemical compound derived from benzene, primarily used as a surfactant in detergents. It is a type of anionic-active synthetic detergent, meaning its molecule has a negatively charged sulfo group attached to a long carbon chain.12

Alkylbenzene, a key raw material for these sulfonates, is formed by attaching an alkyl group to benzene through a process called alkylation. Sulfonation of alkylbenzene then produces alkylbenzene sulfonate, which possesses excellent detergent and cleaning properties and creates significant foam.2

Early versions of alkylbenzene sulfonates produced persistent foam that hindered biological degradation in sewage systems. Research in the 1960s led to modifications, replacing branched alkyl groups with straight carbon chains that are more easily broken down by bacteria.2