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JEE Main levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 2 of 3el245

The soap shown works poorly in hard water. Which of the structures shown is a synthetic detergent that is both anionic and biodegradable?

  1. AStructure A
  2. BStructure B
  3. CStructure C
  4. DStructure D

Answer: B

The reference is sodium stearate. The linear alkyl sulphate (sodium lauryl sulphate) is anionic with an unbranched chain, so it is biodegradable and its Ca2+ salt is soluble. The branched sulphonate is anionic but non-biodegradable, the quaternary ammonium salt is cationic and the ethoxylate is non-ionic.
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