Household Soaps and Detergents prepared by J. Chem. Educ. Staff
What is a Detergent? Detergents are organic chemical wetting and cleaning agents used in household formulations for dishwashing and laundry use, and in shampoos, hubhle baths, and other personal care products. The chemical structures of typical biodegradable detergents can be represented as follows CH~CH~CHPOSO~-N~+ sodium tetradecylsulfate
sodium n-nonylhenzenesu1f"nate onionic detergents (detergentactivity is in the anion) CHs(CHz)11-N(CH%)stCllauryltrimethy1,lamrnoni~m chloride CHS(CHZ)I~-N(CH~)~+BIcetyltrimethylammonium bromide cationic detergents (detergentactivity is in the cation) CHdCHdgO-CHsCH2-O-CH2CH2-0-CH2CH2
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HOH2CHd-O-H&Hd-O-H2CH&LO a nonianie detergent Commercial detergents are not pure substances, but mixtures in which the carbon chains present vary in length and in the amount of branching.
Cationics, Anionics and Nonionics As indicated above. detergents can be classified as anionic. cationic, and nonionid. A fourth class is amphoteric. ~ n i o n i c s comprise the most i m ~ o r t a nn. t ou. p of detergents. The anionic por
