ABSTRACT
Polyoxyethylene alkylphenols have played a major role in many markets for over 50 years. Early documentation of the chemistry of polyoxyethylene alkylphenols appeared in 1937 [1]. Academic studies of polyoxyethylene octylphenols appeared in the 1940s [2,3]. The markets for polyoxyethylene alkylphenols have consistently grown and today represent a substantial portion of the nonionic surfactant market [4]. Nonylphenol and octylphenol are the most commonly used hydrophobes with dodecylphenol less commonly used.
