Lever Brothers Company

Lever Brothers Company, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Carnegie Mellon University

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA, Division of Conopco, Inc.

John Oakes

David William Thornthwaite

Stephen A Madison

Keith C Francis

Richard Gerald Gary

John Richard Nicholson

Arthur G Leigh

Matthew Charles Sugdon

Sarah Dixon

Christopher J Adams

Jean Pekaar Wiley

Peter Leslie Gratton

James R Darwent

Michael R Butterworth

The present invention provides a laundry bleaching composition comprising: a) a macrocycilc tetra amido N-donor metal-ligand complex (preferably, 5,6-benzo-3,8,11,13-tetraoxo-2,2,9,9,12,12-hexamethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraaza-cyclo-tridecane), and b) an alkyl benzene sulphonate surfactant, said composition being substantially devoid of any added peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or peroxy-generating bleach system.

Composition comprising macrocyclic tetra-amido metal complex as bleaching catalyst

A process for the treatment of non-keratinaceous textiles, preferably cellulosic fibers, which comprises the step of treating the textiles with a composition which comprises: a self-crosslinking polymer and a nucleophilic species (preferably a polymer comprising at least one protected thiol group), and a textile compatible carrier. Under domestic washing conditions the polymer forms reactive thiol groups which are capable of causing covalent cross-linking with the polymer. Preferably, the thiol group is protected as an isothiouronium group.

Textile laundering composition comprising a self-crosslinking cationic polymer

There is provided a cationic organic peroxyacid having the general formula ##STR1## wherein: R.sub.1 is an optionally substituted, linear or branched, C.sub.8 -C.sub.12 alkyl or alkenyl group; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each a methyl group; R.sub.4 is an optionally substituted, linear or branched C.sub.3 -C.sub.5 alkyl or alkenyl group; p is 0 or 1; z is an integer selected from 0-3; y is an integer selected from 0-5; w is 0 or 1; and X.sup.- is a counter anion. This peroxyacid was found to have good bleaching performance without showing incompatibility with anionic surfactants.

Peroxyacids

An amido peroxyacid is provided having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R is selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.16 alkylene, C.sub.5 -C.sub.12 cycloalkylene and C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 arylene radicals;

Amido peroxycarboxylic acids for bleaching

Cationic peroxyacid are provided having formula (I): ##STR1## wherein: R.sub.1 is an optionally substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.24 alkyl or alkenyl or alkylaryl with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.24 alkyl group; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 substituted alkyl group; R.sub.4 and R.sub.6 are each independently aryl or (CH.sub.2).sub.n where n is an integer from 1 to 7; R.sub.5 is selected from hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl, or aryl substituted with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyl; and X.sup.- is a counter anion. These cationic peroxyacids show good bleaching activity over a wide range of pH conditions.

Novel cationic nitriles, methods of preparing such nitriles and use thereof as cationic peroxyacid bleach precursor in bleaching (detergent) compositions are disclosed. The novel cationic nitriles are non-hygroscopic and are characterized in that they have a counter-anion X.sup.- selected from the group consisting of 1) R-SO.sub.3.sup.-, 2) R-SO.sub.4.sup.-, 3) R-CO.sub.2.sup.-, wherein R is a straight or branched chain, optionally substituted, alkyl, alkylether or alkylene group containing 4 to 20 carbon atoms, or a phenyl or alkyl phenyl group containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and 4) any other surfactant anion not falling under the groups 1), 2) and 3).

Bleaching composition

Cationic peroxycarboxylic acids having the general formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each independently a C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 alkyl group or C.sub.1 -C.sub.7 substituted alkyl group, n is an integer of from 2 to 10 and X is a counter anion. The peroxycarboxylic acids may be used in bleaching and detergent compositions.

Bleaching compositions are disclosed comprising a peroxide bleaching agent and a novel cationic peroxyacid bleach precursor having at least one of the following groups (A) and (B) : ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each individually H, or a substituent group containing at least one carbon atom, provided that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are not both H. The novel bleach precursor of the cationic nitrile type shows no tendency to deliquesce under normal atmospheric conditions.

Bleaching and detergent compositions are disclosed which upon dissolution in aqueous medium provide a mixture of hydrophobic and cationic peroxyacids. The compositions which are highly effective at removing a wide range of stain types with better background whiteness at bleach solution temperatures of 40.degree. C. and less, comprise a peroxide bleach compound, a hydrophobic peroxyacid (bleach precursor) and a cationic or amphoteric peroxyacid (bleach precursor).

Bleach activation and bleaching compositions

A quaternary ammonium-substituted peroxycarboxylic acid bleach precursor, its quaternary ammonium peroxycarboxylic acid derivative, and bleaching-detergent compositions containing these materials are disclosed herein. The bleach precursor structurally comprises a quaternized ammonium group linked to a carboxyl moiety having a leaving group via an aromatic or heterocyclic bridging group which, upon perhydrolysis in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, generates a highly effective, quaternary ammonium-substituted aromatic or heterocyclic peroxycarboxylic acid bleach.

Quaternary ammonium compounds for use in bleaching systems

A method for conditioning fabrics comprises tumble-drying fabrics with a composition comprising a fabric conditioner, such as a cationic fabric softener, and a compound containing a transition metal ion, such as cobalt (II) and manganese (II) ions. The transition metal ion is capable of catalyzing bleaching of the fabrics when the fabrics are subsequently washed with a bleach containing detergent composition.

Method for conditioning fabrics

An aqueous fabric conditioning composition comprises a fabric conditioner, such as a cationic fabric softener, optionally an electrolyte, selected from ionic salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and aluminum, at levels up to 0.5% together with a compound containing a transition metal ion, such as Cobalt (II) ions. The transition metal ion enhances bleaching of fabrics when they are subsequently washed in a bleach-containing detergent composition.

Fabric conditioning composition

Detergent bleach compositions comprising a peroxide compound bleach, a manganese bleach catalyst and sodium sesquisilicate and/or sodium metasilicate, having a solution pH of from 9.5 to 13. The compositions show enhanced bleaching effect and are suitable for the laundering of fabrics at lower temperatures of between 20.degree. and 60.degree. C.

Detergent bleach compositions

Activated detergent bleach composition comprising a peroxide compound bleach, a manganese catalyst and a detergency builder composition comprising:

Bleaching and cleaning compositions having improved bleaching and cleaning capacity are disclosed which comprise a peroxide compound bleach, e.g. sodium perborate, a proteolytic enzyme and manganese (II) metal. The bleaching and cleaning compositions are effective for washing fabrics at substantially all washing temperatures, and are usable for example in washing machines at lower than 60.degree. C. wash cycle.

Growing community of inventors

Winsford, United Kingdom

John Oakes