Sodium 1-octanesulfonate is an organic sodium salt with the molecular formula C8H17NaO3S. It is a white to off-white crystalline powder that is soluble in water and polar organic solvents. Structurally, it belongs to the class of alkyl sulfonates, characterized by a linear octyl chain attached to a sulfonate group. This compound is primarily used as an anionic surfactant and detergent. Its key applications include serving as a mobile phase additive in ion-pair chromatography for the separation of basic compounds, peptides, and proteins. It is also employed in industrial cleaning formulations, textile processing, and as an emulsifying agent in various chemical processes. As a surfactant, it functions by reducing surface tension and facilitating the solubilization of hydrophobic substances in aqueous media. It is considered a relatively mild anionic surfactant compared to some shorter-chain analogues.