Preparation of Long-Chain Alkyl Glucoside Surfactants by One-Step Direct Fischer Glucosidation, and by Transacetalation of Butyl Glucosides, on Beta Zeolite Catalysts

Long-chain alkyl glucoside surfactants have been obtained with good conversions and selectivities by the transacetalation of butyl glucosides with different fatty alcohols as well as by one-step direct glycosidation, using H-Beta zeolites as catalyst. The influence of the different process variables such as temperature, molar ratio of reactants, and fatty alcohol chain length has been investigated. Moreover, the study of the transacetalation process in the presence of H-Beta zeolites with different hydrophobic–hydrophilic properties has shown the strong influence of this zeolite property on catalyst deactivation. The rate of decay is lower for the more hydrophobic Beta samples.