Cyanoamines and compositions useful for bleaching
Reference Number: N 03-07
Inventors: Kaaret, Thomas W.
Owner: NISTAC
USPTO Link:5478356
Invention Summary
In one aspect of the present invention a composition, useful for bleaching, comprises
an imide, as the activator compound, having two acyl groups attached to a common nitrogen
and to a cyclic moiety, with the nitrogen being cyano substituted. The composition
further includes a peroxygen source in a sufficient amount to form an oxidizing agent
derivative of the activator compound when the peroxygen source and the activator compound
are admixed in a solvent therefor. The solvent will typically be aqueous based, such
as in laundry (washing machine) applications. The peroxygen source preferably is in
an amount that provides peroxygen in a molar ratio with respect to activator compound
of about 1:1 or greater.
The composition preferably includes a pH adjusting agent and/or a metal sequestering
agent. The pH adjusting agent, when present, is effective to adjust or to maintain
the pH of a solution in which the oxidizing agent is intended to be dissolved, preferably
an aqueous based solution, to a pH greater than about 7.5. The metal sequestering
agent, when present, preferably includes a phosphonate, amino phosphates, or a mixture
thereof.
Embodiments of the invention are compounds that have either of the following structures
##STR1## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together with the carbon atoms to which they
are attached form a ring containing 4 to 6 carbon atoms, whereby the carbon atoms
in the ring may be singly or multiply substituted with hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20
alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkanoyl, phenyl, benzoyl, middle
halogen, amino, amine salt, phosphate or phosphonate group, sulfate or sulfonate group,
cyano or cyanoamino group, or with a cyclic group of 4 to 6 carbon atoms, or with
a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group of 4 to 6 atoms; or
where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are
attached form a heterocyclic ring containing 5 to 7 atoms containing one or two hetero
atoms selected from the group consisting of O, S, and N--R.sub.7, where R.sub.7 is
hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20
alkanoyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkynyl, phenyl, benzoyl, middle
halogen, amino, amine salt, phosphate or phosphonate group, sulfate or sulfonate group,
cyano or cyanoamino group; and
where R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, and R.sub.6 are the same or different and independently
represent hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl (straight chain, branched chain, or cycloalkyl),
C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkynyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkanoyl,
C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 ethoxylate or propoxylate, phenyl, benzoyl, C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 aralkyl,
alkenylcyanoamino; or
where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, and R.sub.6 are the same or different
and independently represent hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl (straight chain, branched
chain, or cycloalkyl), C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 alkynyl, C.sub.1
-C.sub.20 alkanoyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 ethoxylate or propoxylate, phenyl, benzoyl,
C.sub.7 -C.sub.20 aralkyl, alkenylcyanoamino, or a polyalkenylamino of the type ##STR2##
where n=1 or 2 and X is 1-10 and R.sub.8 is hydrogen or cyano, a Group IA metal, or
any of the foregoing radicals containing a substitutable carbon atom on which is substituted
a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkanoyl, middle
halogen, amino or an amine salt, carboxylate, phosphate or phosphonate group, sulfate
or sulfonate group, cyano, cyanoamino or hydroxyl group.
Particularly preferred activators include N-cyanophthalimide and N-cyanosuccinimide.