Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-01
2001-10-09
Hardee, John (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S504000, C510S515000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06300307
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a new active substance for the preparation of textile-softening compositions which is constituted by salts of oligomeric amine esters obtained by the reaction of triethanolamine with fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids in defined ratios, and/or by the corresponding quaternised compounds thereof, and also to the textile-softening compositions containing it.
PRIOR ART
Compounds generally known by the generic name of esterquats are cationic surfactants which are used, inter alia, in the field of softening textile fibres. Chemically, they are esters of polyhydroxy-alkylamines and fatty acids subsequently quaternised with different types of alkylating compounds, for example, methyl choride, dimethyl sulphate, dimethyl carbonate. Their main advantage is their high degree of biodegradability, a characteristic which renders them especially suitable for large-scale use owing to their low-level contribution to environmental pollution.
The esterquats most commonly used for that purpose include
a) quaternised diesters of fatty acids with 1,2-dihydroxy-3-dimethylaminopropane, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180 and EP-A-0585040, the most commonly used product of this type being that corresponding to the diester of hydrogenated tallow fatty acid quaternised with methyl chloride,
b) the quaternised dijesters of fatty acids with N-methyldiethanolamine, such as those described in FR-A-1593921 and in EP-B-0239910, the most commonly used product of this type being that corresponding to the diester of tallow fatty acid quaternised with methyl chloride, and
c) the quaternised diesters of fatty acids with triethanolamine, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,867, the most commonly used product of this type being that corresponding to the diester of partially hydrogenated tallow fatty acid quaternised with dimethyl sulphate.
It should be noted that reference to the term “diester” is intended to mean that the diester predominates in the mixture, although the product may contain variable amounts of monoester compounds and, in the case of triethanolamine, of triester compounds.
The esterquats of group C), that is to say, those derived from triethanolauine, are those which are undergoing major development at present owing to the advantages they provide in respect of ease of handling and greater ease of dispersion in water.
EP-A-770594 corres ponding to DE-C-19539846, describes a new type of esterquat which is obtained by esterification of trialkanolamines wi th a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, optionally followed by alkoxylation of the product mixture obtained, and subsequent quaternisation with an alkylating agent. According to the mentioned patent, the esterquats so obtained exhibit excellent behaviour as conditioning agents for fibres and hair and they have a better ecotoxicological tolerance than do previously known esterquats.
Although the patent mentions the possible application of the products as conditioning and anti-static agents for natural and synthetic fibres, in fact all of the description and the Examples thereof relate to their application as hair-conditioning agents in products for personal hygiene (shower and bath gels, shampoos, etc.), no specific information being provided on their use as textile fibre softeners. In fact, if the molar ratios defined as preferred or the molar ratios used in the Examples are employed for application as softening agents for textile fibres, softness results are unfavourable compared with those conventional esterquats mentioned above are used.
Finally, BE-A-837285 describes liquid mixtures of surface-active hydroxy esters obtained by reacting 1 mole of a polyol, triehanolamine being among those mentioned, with from 1 to 2 moles of a C
16
-C
26
saturated fatty acid and from 0.1 to 0.7 moles of a C
3
-C
10
aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. The ester mixtures are not quaternised and are not converted into salts and are used as emulsifiers in the preparation of fibres or lubricants, and also in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical fields.
Hitherto, therefore, no solution has been found to the problems involved in the application to the field of textile-softeners of surfactants obtained by the esterification of triethanolamine with a mixture of fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids, nor to the problems presented by the esterquats produced by the quaternisation thereof.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves those problems in that, while preserving the excellent biodegradability properties of the mentioned type of product, it provides a new active substance for the preparation of textile-softening compositions which are more efficient as regards their softening effect for textiles.
Consequently, the object of the present invention is to provide a new active substance for the formulation of textile-softening compositions which, while maintaining a high level of ecological tolerance, is highly efficient in its fabric-softening effect.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide new textile-softening compositions which contain said active substance.
The invention provides a textile-softening agent and an active substance for a textile-softening composition, comprising (a) a salt of an oligomeric amine ester obtained by esterifying triethanolamine with a mixture of a fatty acid and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid at a molar ratio of the sum in total of the fatty acid and the dicarboxylic acid to triethanolamine ranging from 1.6:1 to 2.5:1 at a molar ratio of the fatty acid to the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid ranging from 2.2:1 to 11:1 or (b) a quaternized product of the oligomeric amine ester as defined above.
It is preferable that the esterification is conducted at a molar ratio of the sum in total of the fatty acid and the dicarboxylic acid to triethanolamine ranging from 1.6:1 to 2.5:1 at a molar ratio of the fatty acid to the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid ranging from 2.5:1 to 10:1.
It is more preferable that a molar ratio of the sum in total of the fatty acid and the dicarboxylic acid to triethanolamine ranges from 1.9:1 to 2.2:1 and a molar ratio of the fatty acid to the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid ranges from 2.5:1 to 10:1 or from 2.5:1 to 4.5:1.
The softener of the invention may comprise both (a) and (b). The invention provides use of (a) or (b) for textile-softener and a composition comprising (a) or (b).
The fatty acids which may be used for the purposes of the present invention are carboxylic acids of the general formula R—COOH, wherein R is a linear or branched hydrocarbon chain having from 7 to 23 carbon atoms which is completely saturated or which has one or more unsaturated moieties. Both acids obtained from completely or partially hydrogenated vegetable or animal oils and fats, for example those of coconut, tallow, palm, rape-seed, sunflower, etc., and purified fatty acids, such as lauric acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, etc., may be used.
Aliphatic dicarboxylic acids suitable for the purpose of the invention are those corresponding to the general formula
wherein m and n are, independently of one another, integers from 0 to 17 and R
1
and R
2
represent, independently of one another, a hydrogen atom or a (CH
2
)
p
CH
3
group, p being 0 to 17.
Non limiting preferred examples of this type of acid include adipic acid, sebac.ic acid, suberic acid, and also those known as dimeric fatty acids which are obtainable by thermal oligomerisation of unsaturated fatty acids, such as those marketed by Unichema International under the tradename, PRIPOL.
The products constituting the softening active substance of the present invention are obtained by procedures known per se which are used in the preparation of conventional esterquats and which are also described in DE-C-19539846.
Thus, for example, the esterification reaction can be effected by condensing the triethanolamine with a mixture of the fatty acids and the aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, at a temperature of from 120° C. to 220° C. for a period of from 2 to 10 hours, preferably under a reduced pressure of a
Bermejo María José
Mumbrú Marisa
Vilaret Josep
Hardee John
Kao Corporation
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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