Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.

J Thomas McCown

Michael Paul Aronson

Carmine P Iovine

John C Leighton

John F Hessel

David L Elliott

Ingrid Brase

This invention provides detergent compositions, particularly liquid compositions, utilizing one or more polycarboxylates as builders, or as anti-redeposition agents, wherein the polycarboxylates are novel polymers comprising repeating units of the structure: ##STR1## wherein m is a mole fraction from 0.70 to 0.95; n is a mole fraction from 0.05 to 0.30; A is derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; B is derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and B is not A; and C is: ##STR2## wherein X is --H, ##STR3## or a combination thereof, R.sup.1 is --H, --CH.sub.3, or --(CH.sub.2).sub.q CH.sub.3, or a combination thereof, and q is 1-5; R.sup.2 is: ##STR4## or R.sup.3 , or a combination thereof, and R.sup.3 is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 linear or branched alkyl chain; the interpolymer being prepared by polymerizing the monomers in a solvent system in which the monomers and interpolymer are soluble. Also provided are liquid detergent formulations containing calcium-sensitive enzyme(s) wherein selected builders are employed which improve detergency without destabilizing the enzyme.

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Cresskill, NJ, United States of America

J Thomas McCown