Hydroxamic acid surface active agents

p-Hydroxy phenyloctadecanol and p-hydroxy phenyloctadecanoic acid were used as new precursors for the preparation of surface active hydroxamic acid including different moles of propylene oxide. The hydroxamic acid was prepared by the reaction of propenoxylated products with sodium chloroacetate, followed by methyl esterification and the resultant product reacted with hydroxyl amine hydrochloride to give the hydroxamic acid. The structures of prepared hydroxamic acid were confirmed by spectroscopic study. The surface activity of prepared hydroxamic acid was studied; the results revealed that, the prepared hydroxamic acid has pronounced surface activity, the alcohol substrate shows a surface activity superior than the acid substrate.