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

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-DPEO(7), b-DPEO(10), b-DPEO(12)) were obtained via the reaction of ethylene oxide with b-DP. Notably, b-DPEO(10) 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-DPEO(10) 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.