The production of alkylaryl compounds comprises the following stages: a) reaction of a C4/C5 olefin mixture on a metathesis catalyst to produce a C4-8 olefin mixture containing 2-pentene and the optional isolation of the C4-8 olefin mixture; b) isolation of between 5 and 100 % of the 2-pentene obtained in step a) and subsequent reaction on an isomerisation catalyst to form a mixture of 2-pentene and 1-pentene, which is returned to stage a); c) dimerisation of the C4-8 olefin mixture obtained in stage b) after the isolation process, to form a mixture containing C8-16 olefins, isolation of the C8-16 olefins and optional isolation of a partial stream of the latter; d) reaction of the C8-16 olefin mixtures obtained in stage c) or the partial stream with an aromatic hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkylation catalyst, to form alkyl aromatic compounds, whereby prior to the reaction an additional 0 to 60 wt. % linear olefins, in relation to the C8-16 olefin mixtures obtained in stage c), can be added; e) optional sulphonation of the alkyl aromatic compounds obtained in stage d) and neutralisation to form alkylaryl sulphonates, whereby prior to the sulphonation an additional 0 to 60 wt. % linear alkyl benzols, in relation to the alkyl aromatic compounds obtained in stage d), can be added, provided that there were no admixtures in stage d); f) optional mixing of the alkylaryl sulphonates obtained in stage e) with between 0 and 60 wt. %, linear alkylaryl sulphonates, in relation to the alkylaryl sulphonates obtained in stage e), provided that there were no admixtures in stages d) and e).