Bleach precursor compositions

Details Bleach precursor compositions Bleach precursor compositions

1998-12-22

2001-03-13

Liott, Caroline D. (Department: 1751)

Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions

Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing

For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...

C510S376000, C510S349000, C510S441000, C252S186260

Reexamination Certificate

active

06200944

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bleach precursor composition and incorporation thereof in a detergent composition, whereby the precursor exhibits effective solubilisation properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The satisfactory removal of soils/stains from soiled/stained substrates is a particular challenge to the formulator of a detergent composition for use in a washing method such as a laundry or machine dishwashing method.
Traditionally, the removal of such soils/stains has been enabled by the use of bleach components such as oxygen bleaches, including hydrogen peroxide and organic peroxyacids. The organic peroxyacids are often obtained by the in situ perhydrolysis reaction between hydrogen peroxide and an organic peroxyacid bleach precursor, so called “bleach precursor”.
A problem encountered with the use of bleach precursors is that upon cold temperature washing solutions (5° C. to 30° C.) or under high water hardness conditions, the solubilisation rate of the precursors is decreased. As the perhydrolysis rate is reduced, so does the cleaning performance. Such a problem of low solubilisation or dissolution is further exarcerbated where the precursor exhibits surfactancy properties. Typical examples of such precursors are the amide substituted bleach precursor compounds such as (6-octanamido-caproyl) oxy benzene sulfonate, (6-nonanamidocaproyl) oxy benzene sulfonate and (6-decanamido-caproyl) oxy benzene sulfonate as described in EP-A-0170386. Accordingly, the formulator of a bleach precursor composition is faced with the challenge of formulating a bleach precursor composition which provides effective solubilisation or dissolution of the precursor.
To solve this problem of low dissolution, the coating and/or agglomeration of the bleach precursor with a water-soluble material has been proposed as described in co-pending application PCT/US95/15494.
However, notwithstanding the advances in the art, there is still a need for an alternative composition which provides effective dissolution of the bleach precursor.
The Applicant has now found that this problem can be overcome by the provision of a peroxyacid bleach precursor in combination with a surfactant system comprising a non-ethoxylated anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention encompasses a solid bleach precursor composition comprising:
a) a bleach precursor; and
b) a surfactant system comprising a non-ethoxylated anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant;
wherein said surfactant system and said precursor are in close physical proximity.
It has to be understood by close physical proximity that the precursor and the surfactant system are not two separate discrete particles in the detergent composition.
For the purpose of the present invention, the term “close physical proximity” means one of the following:
i) an agglomerate, granule or extrudate in which said precursor and said surfactant system are in intimate admixture;
ii) a bleach precursor particulate coated with one or more layers wherein at least one layer contains one of the surfactant system component and the other is in intimate admixture with the bleach precursor component;
iii) a bleach precursor particulate comprising one of the surfactant system components, coated with one or more layers wherein at least one layer contains the bleach precursor in intimate admixture with the other surfactant system component.
iv) a bleach precursor particulate coated either with one or more layers wherein at least one layer contains both components of the surfactant system, or with at least two layers wherein at least one layer contains one of the surfactant system component and at least another layer contains the other surfactant system component;
v) a bleach precursor particulate comprising both components of the surfactant system coated with one or more layers wherein at least one layer contains the bleach activator.
In another embodiment of the invention, the present invention encompasses a detergent composition incorporating a solid bleach precursor composition as defined herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Bleach Precursor
An essential component of the invention is a bleach precursor. Bleach precursors for inclusion in the composition in accordance with the invention typically contain one or more N- or O- acyl groups, which precursors can be selected from a wide range of classes. Suitable classes include anhydrides, esters, imides, nitriles and acylated derivatives of imidazoles and oximes, and examples of useful materials within these classes are disclosed in GB-A-t 586789.
Suitable esters are disclosed in GB-A-836988, 864798, 1147871, 2143231 and EP-A-0170386. The acylation products of sorbitol, glucose and all saccharides with benzoylating agents and acetylating agents are also suitable.
Specific O-acylated precursor compounds include nonanoyloxy benzene sulphonate, 3,5,5-tri-methyl hexanoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, benzoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, cationic derivatives of the benzoyl oxybenzene sulfonates, nonanoyl-6-amino caproyl oxybenzene sulfonates, monobenzoyltetraacetyl glucose and pentaacetyl glucose. Phtalic anhydride is a suitable anhydride type precursor. Useful N-acyl compounds are disclosed in GB-A-855735, 907356 and GB-A-1246338.
Preferred precursor compounds of the imide type include N-benzoyl succinimide, tetrabenzoyl ethylene diamine, N-benzoyl substituted ureas and the N,N-N′N′ tetra acetylated alkylene diamines wherein the alkylene group contains from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, particularly those compounds in which the alkylene group contains 1, 2 and 6 carbon atoms. A most preferred precursor compound is N,N-N′,N′ tetra acetyl ethylene diamine (TAED).
N-acylated precursor compounds of the lactam class are disclosed generally in GB-A-955735. Whilst the broadest aspect of the invention contemplates the use of any lactam useful as a peroxyacid precursor, preferred materials comprise the caprolactams and valerolactams.
Suitable caprolactam bleach precursors are of the formula:
wherein R
1
is H or an alkyl, aryl, alkoxyaryl or alkaryl group containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.
Suitable valero lactams have the formula:
wherein R
1
is H or an alkyl, aryl, alkoxyaryl or alkaryl group containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably from 6 to 12 carbon atoms. In highly preferred embodiments, R
1
is selected from phenyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, 2,4,4-trimethylpentyl, decenyl and mixtures thereof.
The most preferred materials are those which are normally solid at <30° C., particularly the phenyl derivatives, ie. benzoyl valerolactam, benzoyl caprolactam and their substituted benzoyl analogues such as chloro, amino, nitro, alkyl, alkyl, aryl and alkyoxy derivatives.
Caprolactam and valerolactam precursor materials wherein the R
1
moiety contains at least 6, preferably from 6 to about 12, carbon atoms provide peroxyacids on perhydrolysis of a hydrophobic character which afford nucleophilic and body soil clean-up. Precursor compounds wherein R
1
comprises from 1 to 6 carbon atoms provide hydrophilic bleaching species which are particularly efficient for bleaching beverage stains. Mixtures of ‘hydrophobic’ and ‘hydrophilic’ caprolactams and valero lactams, typically at weight ratios of 1:5 to 5:1, preferably 1:1, can be used herein for mixed stain removal benefits.
Another preferred class of bleach precursor materials include the cationic bleach activators, derived from the valerolactam and acyl caprolactam compounds, of formula:
wherein x is 0 or 1, substituents R, R′ and R″ are each C1-C10 alkyl or C2-C4 hydroxy alkyl groups, or [(C
y
H
2y
)O]
n
—R′″ wherein y=2-4, n=1-20 and R′″ is a C1-C4 alkyl group or hydrogen and X is an anion.
Suitable imidazoles include N-benzoyl imidazole and N-benzoyl benzimidazole and other useful N-acyl group-containing peroxyacid precursors include N-benzoyl pyrrolidone, dibenzoyl taurine and benzoyl pyroglutamic a

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