Ethylene oligomers surfactants from

Olefins. Olefin is a key surfactant intermediate produced by thermal or catalytic cracking of paraffin or alternatively from oligomization of ethylene. Olefins suitable for surfactant production are primarily linear with either terminal (a-olefins) or internal (i-olefins) double bonds. 

Note that, in some studies, poly(ethylene oxide) oligomers, micelle-forming surfactants derived from them, and their complexes were used to perform such reactions in aqueous and alcohol solutions as hydroformylation [31-33], Wacker oxidation [34,35], hydroxylation of aromatic compounds [36-38], carbon dioxide hydrogenation [39], and epoxidation [40]. It was shown that using poly(ethylene oxide)s substantially increases the reaction rate and, in some cases, allows us to separate a metal complex containing oligo(ethylene oxide) [31,40]. 

Besides, in the hydrophobic part, a surfactant may have homologous chains and positional isomers for example, cocoamidopropyl betaine may contain alkyl chains with a carbon pair number from 8 to 18, the majority being those with a carbon number of 12 and 14. Aromatic groups are usually bonded in alkyl chain, like in alkylphenols (nonionic) or alkyl-benzenesulfonates (anionic). Also, the hydrophilic part may contain oligomers of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide. In this article, cationic polymers have been included as a subclass of cationic surfactant based on the classification made by Richmond (1990), although many authors consider this polymer to be another ingredient of cosmetic products. Another subclass, quaternary ammonium compounds (four alkyl chains around a nitrogen atom) will be frequently mentioned components. 

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