SYNTHESIS OF SOAP AND DETERGENT

Ciara Maye A. Morales, John Ian V. Nacino, Dean Xavier C. New, Jason
A. Ong, Mark Kenneth F. Ong and Leah Kristine C. Reyes Group 7
2B Medical Technology Organic Chemistry Laboratory

ABSTRACT
Grease, oil and other non-polar substances are hard to clean with water alone. Soaps and detergents, however, can
help in the cleaning due to their ampiphatic properties. This experiment then aims to synthesize soaps and
detergents, as well as compare their behaviour in hard water. In order to synthesize soaps, the group used cooking oil
and diluted NaOH which produced soap and glycerol molecules. On the other hand, dodecanol was added with sulfuric
acid in order to synthesize detergents. The results from these synthesis yielded a white precipitate, which means that
the reactions were completed and the salts were formed. The synthesized soap was an alkaline (sodium) salt while the
detergent was a sodium dodecylsulfate, which is another sodium salt. When added to 1% CaCl 2 and 1% MgCl2, the
soap was insoluble and formed precipitates since it cannot interact with hard water which contains Ca 2+ and Mg2+ ions
while the detergent was soluble due to its structure that enables it to interact with the hard water.

INTRODUCTION
Soap is a salt of a compound known as a fatty
acid. A soap molecule consists of a long
hydrocarbon chain (composed of carbons and
hydrogens) with a carboxylic acid group on one
end which is ionic bonded to a metal ion, usually
a sodium or potassium. The hydrocarbon end is
non-polar and is soluble in non-polar substances
(such as fats and oils), and the ionic end (the salt
of a carboxylic acid) is soluble in water.

Figure 1.
molecule

Condensed

structure

of

Figure 2. Condensed structure of a sodium

alkylbenzene sulfonate (example of detergent)

soap

Soaps for cleansing are obtained by treating

vegetable or animal oils and fats with a
strongly alkaline solution. Fats and oils are
composed of triglycerides; three molecules of
fatty acids are attached to a single molecule of
glycerol. The alkaline solution, often called lye,
brings
about
a chemical
reaction known
as saponification. In saponification, the fats are
first hydrolyzed into free fatty acids, which then
combine with the alkali to form crude soap.
Glycerol (glycerine) is liberated and is either left
in or washed out and recovered as a useful byproduct, depending on the process employed.
xujDetergents are structurally similar to soaps,
but differ in the water-soluble portion. These
substances are usually alkylbenzenesulfonates, a
family of compounds that are similar to soap but
are more soluble in hard water, because the polar
sulfonate (of detergents) is less likely than the
polar carboxyl (of soap) to bind to calcium and
other ions found in hard water.

Figure 3. Condensed structure of a glycerol nonionic detergent

Figure 4. Condensed structure of a sodium alkyl

sulfate
Detergents, like soaps, work because they are
amphiphilic:
partly hydrophilic (polar)
and
partly hydrophobic (non-polar). Their dual nature
facilitates the mixture of hydrophobic compounds
(like oil and grease) with water. Because air is
not hydrophilic, detergents are also foaming
agents to varying degrees.

The cleaning action of both soaps and

detergents results from their ability to emulsify or
disperse water-insoluble materials (dirt, oil,
grease, etc.) and hold them in suspension in
water. This
ability
comes
from
the
molecular structure of soaps and detergents.
When a soap or detergent is added to water that
contains oil or other water-insoluble materials,
the soap or detergent molecules surround the oil
droplets. The oil or grease is dissolved in the
alkyl groups of the soap molecules while the ionic
end allows the micelle to dissolve in water. As a
result, the oil droplets are dispersed throughout
the water (this is referred to as emulsification)
and can be rinsed away.

Figure
5.
A diagram of a
soap
micelle
surrounded
by
water molecules. The
lines
in the center represent grease and oil.
Soaps, will react with metal ions in the water
and
can
form
insoluble precipitates. The
precipitates can be seen in the soapy water and
are referred to as soap scum. This soap scum
can form deposits on clothes causing them to be
gray or yellow in color. To eliminate the metal
ions in water, washing aids such as washing soda
(sodium
carbonate)
and borax
(sodium
tetraborate) were
added to
the wash
water. These compounds would precipitate the
metal
ions, eliminating most
of
the
soap
scum. With the discovery of synthetic detergents,
much of the need for washing aids was
reduced. A detergent works similar to a soap, but
does not form precipitates with metal ions,
reducing the discoloration of clothes due to
the precipitated soap.

EXPERIMENTAL
A. Samples of compounds, solvents and
solutions used
20% of NaOH, 6M NaOH, concentrated
H2SO4, 1% CaCl2, 1% MgCl2, solid NaCl, saturated

NaCl, phenolphthalein, dodecanol (C12H25OH), ice,

vegetable oil (coconut oil)

B. Procedure
1. Preparation of Soap
Prepare a mixture of 30 mL of 6MNaOH
and 50 mL of distilled water. Transfer
these into a 500 mL beaker, heat using a
small flame, and stir frequently. Add a
total amount of 15 mL coconut oil in the
mixture gradually and heat for about 15 to
20 minutes with stirring, just to ensure
that water is replaced via evaporation.
To test if the saponification is complete,
add a drop of the mix into a milliliter of
water. If the mix still exhibits a presence
of coconut oil, heat again for 15 to 20
minutes along with stirring. Stir until the
mixture is homogenous. Pour it into a 50
mL of cold, saturated solution of NaCl
while still hot. As the soap forms, filter the
precipitated soap through cheesecloth.
The filtrate, a liquid, is now ready for
glycerol test. Wash the collected soap in 5
mL ice cold water twice. Squeeze again to
remove excess water. Dissolve in an
evaporating dish, add 10 to 20 mL of
water to dissolve soap, and evaporate into
a jelly-like consistency. Cool and pour into
a mold, and use this formed soap in hard
water behavioral test.
2. Extraction of Glycerol
Neutralize the filtrate, the liquid
collected from a repeated squeezing of the
soap, with diluted HCl. If its not clear,
filter it. Evaporate it into small volume or
a syrupy consistency and allow cooling
down. Extract the syrup and add 95%
ethanol then filter again. Evaporate the
alcoholic extract in a water bath and now
the residue that remained has glycerol.
3. Test for Glycerol
To the residue, add a pinch of potassium
bisulfate (KHSO4). Heat the mixture
strongly or at high temperatures. Take
note of the odor released.
4. Preparation of Detergent
In preparing the detergent, place 5 mL
of dodecanol (C12H25OH) into a 100 mL
beaker. Add gradually a total amount of 2

mL concentrated H2SO4 while stirring for

about a minute after the acid is
completely added and let stand for an
additional of ten minutes.

Figure 6. Adding 5 mL of dodecanol in a

100 mL beaker
Mix well 5 mL 6M NaOH with 10 mL of
water
and
add
four
drops
of
phenolphthalein which may begin to fade
in the presence of a strongly basic
solution. After ten minutes have passed,
add it now to the dodecanol-sulfuric acid
mixture and stir until the tinge of
phenolphthalein disappears. There should
be a large amount of detergent formed.

5. Behavior in Hard Water

Place 5 mL of both soap solution and
the detergent solution into two test tubes
each sample. Add 2 mL 1% CaCl2 to
detergent solution and soap solution. Do
the same to the rest of the test tubes with
2 mL 1% MgCl2. Mix but do not shake the
mixtures and note any precipitate formed
if it does so. Add four drops of cooking oil
to each tube, put a stopper and vigorously
shake the four tubes. Observe and record
any emulsifying ability of the soap and
detergent in each tube. Indicate whether
if formed suds as heavy, light, few, or
none at all.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Upon performing the experiment, the following
observations were noted and are summarized
into table.
Table 1. Properties of Soap and Detergent
Color &
Appearance
Solubility in
1% CaCl2
Solubility in
1% MgCl2
Emulsifying
Ability

Figure 7. The mixture attained a pink

color
due
to
the
addition
of
phenolphthalein
Fill a 250 mL of one third of ice and 10 g
of NaCl and thoroughly mix. Add water
until it reaches a total amount of 75 mL.
Pour the detergent mixture to make it
lump on the cold NaCl ice mixture. Then
filter it in a three layered cheese cloth.
Wash the collected detergent in two
portions of water with10 mL each portion.
Then finally squeeze to take off any
excess water and prepare for hard water
behavioural tests.

Soap
White
gelatin
(solid)
insoluble

Detergent
White,
amorphous
(solid)
Soluble

insoluble

Soluble

Slightly
Emulsified
(less suds)

Slightly
Emulsified
(more suds)

The table above shows that both the soap and

detergent appeared as white solid. Their
appearance is due to their chemical nature, in
which soaps are alkaline salts, and detergents
are sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Figure
8.
Saponification

Reaction

Sequence

for

The reaction sequence shows that fats or oil

underwent alkaline hydrolysis with NaOH and
yielded glycerol and soap. The soap molecule
contained sodium salts which accounted to its
appearance and solubility in water. Its interaction
with hard water showed formation of precipitates.
Hard water contains Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, which
are both insoluble in water, and as sodium salts
are water-soluble, their interaction yielded
insoluble solids.
Glycerol, the by-product, was determined by
adding a pinch of powdered potassium bisulphate
and heating the mixture. This reaction yielded a
sweet, butter-like odor due to the presence of a
fatty acid derivative in the mixture.

sodium dodecylsulfate, which attributes to its

appearance as well as solubility in water.
Detergents, when added to a 1% CaCl2 and 1%
MgCl2, were more soluble than soap.
Both soaps and detergents displayed their
emulsifying ability. Though the detergents
produced more suds than soaps, the emulsified
products proved that the oil was dissolved in their
respective alkyl groups while their ionic ends
made the molecules dissolve in water.

REFERENCES
[1] Bayquen, A.P., Cruz, C.T., De Guia, R.M.,
Lampa, F.F., Pea, G.T., Sarile, A.S., Torres, P.C.
(2009). Laboratory Manual in Organic Chemistry.
Quezon City, Philippines: C & E Publishing, Inc.
[2] David, K.A. (2000). The science of soaps and
detergents. Retrieved on April 27, 2007 and
September 21, 2012 from the World Wide Web.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/61766809/Soap-andDetergent.

Figure 8. Reaction Sequence for the preparation

of detergent.

[3] Detergents. Retrieved on September 21,

2012
from
the
World
Wide
Web.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergent.

By reacting dodecyl alcohol (dodecanol) with

sulfuric acid, dodecyl sulfate and water were
formed. The product dodecyl sulfate was further
converted to a sodium salt by alkaline hydrolysis
with the use of NaOH. The resulting salt was a

[4] Soap. Retrieved on September 21, 2012 from

the
World
Wide
Web.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap.