Liquid compositions containing N-alkyl ammonium acetonitrile salts
Reference Number: N 03-02A
Inventors: Choy, Clement K.; Deline, James E.; Foland, Lafayette D.; Garabedian, Jr., Aram; Klotter, Kevin A.; Petrin, Michael J.; Phillippi, Martin J.; Smith, William L.
Owner: NISTAC
USPTO Link:6046150
Invention Summary
The present invention provides liquid cleaning or bleaching compositions comprising
compounds having the structure of Formula I ##STR2## wherein A is a saturated ring
formed by five atoms in addition to the N.sub.1 atom, the five saturated ring atoms
being four carbon atoms and a heteroatom, the substituent R.sub.1 bound to the N.sub.1
atom of the Formula I structure including either (a) a C.sub.1-24 alkyl or alkoxylated
alkyl where the alkoxy is C.sub.2-4, (b) a C.sub.4-24 cycloalkyl, (c) a C.sub.7-24
alkaryl, (d) a repeating or nonrepeating alkoxy or alkoxylated alcohol, where the
alkoxy unit is C.sub.2-4, or (e) --CR.sub.2 R.sub.3 C.tbd.N where R.sub.2 and R.sub.3
are each H, a C.sub.1-24 alkyl, cycloalkyl, or alkaryl, or a repeating or nonrepeating
alkoxyl or alkoxylated alcohol where the alkoxy unit is C.sub.2-4, the R.sub.2 and
R.sub.3 substituents are each H, a C.sub.1-24 alkyl, cycloalkyl, or alkaryl, or a
repeating or nonrepeating alkoxyl or alkoxylated alcohol where the alkoxy unit is
C.sub.2-4, and wherein Y is a generally anionic counterion and Z is in the range of
0 to 10.
The Formula I compounds have a quaternary nitrogen atom (N.sub.1), requiring the
presence of at least one counterion (Y) to be associated therewith. Counterions for
the inventive salts include both organic and inorganic anions, preferably alkylsulfate,
especially methylsulfate, sulfate or bisulfate, tosylate and mesylate, and chloride,
bromide, and nitrate. Especially preferred are methylsulfate, sulfate, bisulfate,
tosylate and mixtures thereof, which have been found to result in surprisingly advantageous
properties for the novel Formula I compounds. Additionally, although Y has been indicated
in Formula I to be monovalent, in fact, it can be multivalent. As an example, when
Y is sulfate, the counterion is divalent. Accordingly, these inventive salts are particularly
well suited to bleaching and cleaning compositions.
The novel compounds with the Formula I structure are particularly useful when formulated
as compositions that include a source of active oxygen, and these compositions provide
excellent bleaching in alkaline solutions.
Preferred embodiments of the invention include lower alkyls substituted at the N.sub.1,
e.g. N-methyl morpholinium acetonitrile, N-ethyl morpholinium acetonitrile, N-butyl
morpholinium acetonitrile, which are illustrated by Formula II (with "n" preferably
being 0 to 24 and where "Y" is one of the above described counterions). ##STR3##
A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention are liquid compositions containing
N-methyl morpholinium acetonitrile methylsulfate, sulfate, bisulfate salts (sometimes
designated as, respectively, "MMAMS," "MMAS" or "MMABS," where "n" of Formula II is
0), or mixtures thereof, which have excellent stability, and which show excellent
bleaching and cleaning performance when formulated with a source of active oxygen
in alkaline wash water. Tosylate salts are also preferred and would be designated
as "MMATS."
When formulated with a source of active oxygen, compositions of the invention are
useful as or in home cleaning and laundry products, such as bleaching additives, detergents,
detergent boosters, detergents with bleach, bleaches, bleaching aids, dishwashing
detergents, surface and mildew stain removers, and spot treatment products such as
stain removers, prewash and presoak laundry aids. Among the advantages derived from
compositions of the invention are improved cleaning, stain removal, spot removal,
whitening, and brightening of treated articles.