COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING CHLOROIMIDE FABRIC BLEACHES, THEIR USE IN WASHING SOILED FABRICS, AND DETERGENT FORMULATIONS CONTAINING CHLOROIMIDE PRECURSORS

Abstract: A fabric bleaching composition is provided which con­ sists essentially of water and a bleach selected from the group consisting of disodium chloroimidodisulfate dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate and mixtures thereof. The fabric bleach­ ing composition can also contain a detergent, a buffering agent and other ingredients in a detergent formulation. The fabric bleaching composition is intermediate in strength bet­ ween peroxide-type fabric bleaches and alkali metal hypoch­ lorite fabric bleaches.

Description: COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING CHLOROIMIDE FABRIC BLLACHES, THEIR USE IN WASHING SOILED FABRICS, AND DETERGENT FOMULATIONS CONTAINING CHLOROIMIDE PRECURSORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention This invention relates to fabric bleaches and more particularly to disodium or dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate fabric bleaches. The invention also relates to the use of such fabric bleaches in detergent formulations and washing processes. The dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfates, sometimes called dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfonates, have the formula Cl#N(SO3M)2 where M is sodium or potassium. Detergent compositions containing a watersoluble detergent surfactant, and generally a builder which is used to sequester calcium and magnesium ions and to improve detergency levels of soaps and synthetic detergents, are widely used in oe and industrial laundriesf for cleaning fabrics. Such detergent composi- tions may also contain fillers, such as sodium sulfate, and minor amounts of optical brighteners, soil antire- deposition agents perfumes and the like. Although such detergent compositions effectively remove soil from fabrics, such as polyester, polyester/cotton, cotton and the like, certain stains cn the fabric caused by tea, grape juice, red wine and the like, are very difficult to remove from fabrics using conventional detergent formulations To remove such stains it is a common laundry practice to add a bleach to aid in the removal of the stains from the fabric. The most common bleaches are the peroxide-type bleaches and the hypochlorite-type bleaches, such as sodium perborate and sodium hypochlorite, respectively. However, each of these bleaches suffer from certain disadvantages. The peroxide-type bleaches usually require an activator to be effective, particularly in cold or tepid water. On the other hand, the hypochlorite bleaches can effectively remove the stains, but such stain removal is frequently accompanied by some damage to the dyed fabric. Futhermore, it is often desirable, if not necessary, to segregate white clothes from colored clothes to minimize the deleterious effect of normal use levels of hypochlorite bleaches on colored fabrics. Those skilled in the art of detergent formulations have long been interested in a material that is stronger than the peroxide-type bleaches and would act in cold or tepid water, but yet is not as strong as the hypochloride-type bleaches that have a deleterious effect on dyes and fabrics, and yet have a desirable bleaching property. Now, a material has been found that is intermediate in strength between alkali metal hypochlorite and peroxide-type bleaches, that is sufficientyl strong to bleach most stains during washing, but is nct so strong as to cause undue damage to colored fabrics. Such an improved laundry bleach permits the use of bleach with colored fabrics with reduced fear of damage to the color. Moreover, the necessity for separating colored fabrics from white fabrics during the washing and bleaching operation is reduced or even eliminated SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other advantages are achieved by a fabric bleaching composition which comprises water and a stain-bleaching amount of a bleach selected from the group consisting of dlsodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chloroimidodlsulfate and mIxtures thereof. The invention also contemplates a process of washing fabrics, such as clothing, which comprises contacting the fabric wit an aqueous solution cf a surfactant and a stain-bleaching amount of a bleach selected from the group consisting of disodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate and mixtures thereof. Ercadly described, the dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate or the disodium chloroimidodisulfate, or mixtures thereof, can be prepared by reacting diammonium imidodisulfate with the appropriate alkali metal hydroxide to from trialkali metal imidodisulfate with the evolution of ammonia. The resulting trialkali metal imidodisulfate is reacted with elemental chlorine to from the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate. On the other hand, the trialkall metal imidodisulfate can be rout together with an alkali metal hypochlorite, such as sodium hypochlorine or potassIum hypochlorite, to form the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate. This latter procedure can be used to make the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate either in situ in the wash water, or beforehand, and then add the resulting dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate to the wash water. The resulting solution of dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate is useful as a bleach to remove stains from soiled fabrics. Since the dialkali metal chlorolmidodisulfate is intermediate in strength between hypochlorite and the peroxide-type bleaches commonly used in washing processes, the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate is strong enough to remove stains from the soiled fabric but yet is not so strong as to unduly damage the dyes in the fabric or the fabric itself. Other chlorine-containing compounds outside the scope of the present invention were prepared and evaluated. Chlorine bleaches prepared from sodium sulfamate were only slightly better than sodium perberate as bleach. Chlorine bleach prepared from paratoluene sulfonamide was poorer in performance than sodium perborate, aud in certain washing tests, chlorine bleaches prepared from phthalamide, sodium imidodiacetate and succinimide gave bleachIng performance poorer than when no bleach was added to the wash water. Such tests indicated that the disodium chloroimidodisulfate and the dipotassim chloroimidodisulfate of the present invention, and mixtures thereof, provided far superior results. The amount of the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate to provide a stain-bleaching amount in an aquencus solution can vary within wide limits. A saturated aqueous solution of the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate, such as might be used for shipping, can be used direstly on the fabric, particularly a white fabric, to bleach stains with less damage to the fabric than if concentrated hypochlodite solution were used. A seturated solution at room temperature of dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate contains about 15 weight percent dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate whereas a saturated solution of disodium chloroimidodisulfate at room temperature contains about 23.8 weight percent disodium chloroimidodisulfate, based on the weight of the tctal solution. On the other hand, when a saturated solution of dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate is added to wash water to provide a concentration of bleach equivalent to 200 ppm hypochlorite (the recommended use level for American home laundries), the concentration of the chloroimidodisulfate of the present invention is about 750 parts per million in the wash water. Higher concenrations, of course, could be used, for example 1500 parts per million, for particularly stubborn stains on the fabric. However, as will occur to those skilled in he art in light of the present invention, as little as 10 parts per million or less of the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate could be use In repeated washings to improve fabrIc brightness. Thus, it can be seen that between about 10 parts per millino and a saturated solution will provide satisfactory bleaching results but it is preferred to use between about 50 and about 1500 parts per million chloroimide in the aqueous solution. The chloroimidodisulfate cf the present invent Ion is substantially stable in aqueous solutions maintained at pH 9 or higher, say about pH 10 to about pH 10.5 at ambient temperatures. The term "substantially stable" as it is used in the specification and claims with respect to the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate, sna mean that the compound loses less than 12 percent of the available chlorine after 30 days at ambient temperature (about 23 C). In addition, the alkali metal chlorcmiaoci- sulfate of the present invention is most effective as a bleach between about E 9 and about pX 11. When the p of the bleaching solution is below about p 9, the bleach loses its effectiveness, ano when the p, of the bleaching solution exceeds about pH li, the bleach approaches the strength of hypochlorite, Best results are obtained when the pH of the solution is between about pH 9.8 and about pH 10.3 Buffering agents can be used to maintain the pH of the solution between about pH 9 and about pH 11. Suitable buffering agents include magnesium oxide and hydroxide, calcium oxide and hydroxide, alkali meta carbonates, calcium carbonate alkali metal aluminum silicates (sometimes known as zeolites) and the like. Mixtures of buffering agents can also be used. Other suitable buffering agents will occur t those skilled in the art In view of the present disclosure. Sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate are preferred. The amount cf buffering agent to maintain the between about pH 9 and pH 11 can vary within wide limits depending on the particular buffering agent selected and other ingredients in the formulation. At concentrations below about 2 weight percent, based on the weight of the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate, little improvement in long-term stability is seen, although there is some effect. Even though there is no theoretical upper limit to the amount cf buffering agent tat could be used, there is not seen to be an advantags to using more than 100 weight percent buffering agent, ased on the weight of the cialkali metal chloroimidodi- sulfate. It is preferred to use between about 5 and about 50 weight percent buffering agent, for example, about 10 to about 25 weight percent, based on the weight of the dialkali metal chloroimidodisuflate. The fabric bleaching composition of the present invention can also contain a detergent selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants or mixtures thereof. The quantity of surfactant in the undiluted compositions of this invention will depend upon the surfactant chosen and the intended end use of the composition. In general, such compositions will contain from abuot 5 percent to about 53 percent surfactant by weight, although as much as 95 percent surfactant may be employed if desired. upon dilultion of the composition in the water for washing fabrics, the amount of surfactant in the washer will vary Irom about 100 parts per million to about 600 parts per million, depending upon the concentration of the surfac- tant, the use leve and the like. In one embodIment of this invention, a solid detergent composition can be prepared containing from about 5 to about 50 percent surfactant, and from about 5 to about 50 percent trisodlum inidodisulfate, tripotassium midodlsulfate or mixtures thereof. When such a detergent composition and a chlorine-containing bleach is added to the wash water, there is provided a solution containIng the surfactant and the dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate formed in situ. On the other hand, the solid detergent formulations may optionally contain solid halogen-containing bleacher along with the trialkali metal imidodisulfates to fom the dialkali metal chlorcimidodisulfate in the wash water. Halogen-containing bleaches which can be used with trisodium or tripotassium imidodisulfate include chlorinated trisodium phosphate, calcium hypochlorite, and the sodium ano potassium salts of dichloroisocyanurate, trichloroisocyanuric acid and (monotrichloro)tetra(monopotassium dichloro) pentaisocyanurate and the like. Although other halogen-containing bleaches may te used, chloride-containing blesches are preferred for detergent applications. Alternatively, a liquid detergent formulation. can be prepared containing from about 5 toabout 95 percent surfactant, and 25 to 1 percent dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate. The only limitation on the amount of dialkali metal chloroimidodisulfate for use in a liquid detergent formulation is the solubility limit. As will occur to those skilled in the art in light of the present disclosure, from 95 to 5 percent trialkali metal imidodisulfate can be substituted for the dialkali methal chloroimidodisulfate so that the dialkali meta chloroimidodisulfate is formed In sit in the wash water when another chlkorine-containing bleach, e.q., hypochlorite, is added to the wash water. In those liquid and dry detergent formulations containing trlalkali metal imidodisulfate, the amount can vary within wide limits, depending on the amount of chlorine bleach available during the washing process. "or example, it has been found that for any use level of hypochlorlte bleach in the washing cycle, the ratio of bleaching efficiency to dye damage in the fabric is better when an excess of the trialkall Imidodisulfate is present. Fcr hypochlorite bleach levels less than 20 ppm In the wash water (the recommended use level), the efficIency to de damage ratio in the presence of an excess stoichiometric amount of the trialkali metal imidodisulfate was better than the best ratic ontained in the absence of such salt. At 200 ppm sodium hypochloride and using a stoichiometric excess of the salt (about 750 ppm by weight), damage to the dye in the fabric was reduced by 70 percent while the bleaching efficiency for stains was reduced by only 10 percent. At 100 ppm sodium hypochlorite levels and about 750 ppm by weight of the salt, the presence of the salt nearly eliminated the damage to the dyes while bleaching efficiency on stains was lowered by only 20 percent. Any number of water soluble anionic, nonionic, zwitterienic or amphoteric suffactants known to those akilled in the art can be used in the detergent compositions of the present invention. A summary of surfactants, their properties and used, including surfactant mixtures, can be found in "Surface Active Agents, Their Chemistry and Techology", by A.H. Schwartz and J.W. Perry, Interscience Publishers, Inc., New York, New York (1949). Examples of suitable anionic surfactants include scaps such as the salts of fatty acids containing about 9 to 20 carbon atoms, e.q., salts of fatty acids derived from coconut oil and tallow; alkylbenzene sulfonates-particularly linear alkylbenzene sulfonates in which the alkyl group contains from 10 to 16 carbon atoms; alcohol sulfates; ethoxylated alcohol sulfates, hydroxy alkyl sulfonates; alkyl sulfates and sulfonates; monoglyceride sulfates; acid condensates # of fatty acid chlorides with hydroxy alkyl sulfonates; and the like. Examples of suitable nonionic surfactants include alkylene oxide (e.g., ethylene oxide), condensates of mono- and pclyhydr xy alcohols, alkyl phenols, sugar derivatives such as sucrose monopalmitate; long chain tertiary phosphine oxides, dialkyl sultoxides, and the like. Examples of suitable zwittericnic surfactants include derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds such as 2-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio) propane-1-sulfonate and 3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-2-hydroxy propane-1-sulfonate. Examples of suitable amphoteric surfactants include betains, sulfobetains and fatty acid imidazole carboxylates and sulfonates. The property possessed by some materials of improving detergency levels of scaps and synthetic detergents and the use of such materials in etergent compositions is known. Such cleaning boosters are called "buIlders" and such buIlders permit the attain- ment of better cleaning performance than is possible when sc-called unbuilt compositions are used. Although the behavior and mechanisms by which builders perform their function are only partially understood, it is known tat good builders must be able to sequester most of the calcium and/or magnesium ions in the wash water since these ions are detrimental to the detergency process. Although satIsfactory bleaching results are achieved b the detergent formulations of the present invention when builder is not present, t is preferred to use at least 5 percent by weight of a builder to sequester calcium and magnesium ions. In order to obtain the maximum advantages of the composItions of this invention, the detergent composition should preferably contain from about 5 percent to about 25 percent or even higher, say up to 60 percent by weight builder. Only one detergency builder can be used or a combinaticn on detergency builders can be used. By way of example, builders which can be employed eIther alone or in combination with other builders in accordance with this invention include either water insoluble materials, such as sodium aluminosilicates, commonly known as zeolites, or water soluble inorganic builder salts such as alkal metal polyphosphates, i.e., the tripolyphosphates and pyrophosphates, alkali metal carbonates, borates, bicarbonates and silicates and water soluble organic builders, including amino polycarboxylic acids and salts, such as alkali metal nitrilotriacetates, cycloalkane polycarboxylic acids ans salts, ether polycarboxylates, alkyl polacarboxylates, epoxy polycarboxylates, tetrahydrofuran polacarboxylates, such as 1,2,3,4 or 2,2,5,5 tetrahydrofuran tetracarboxylates, benzene polycarboxylates, oxidized starches, amino(trimethylene phosphonic acid) salts, diphosphonic acid salts (e. g., the sodium salts of methylene diphosphonic acid or 1-hydroxy ethylidene 1,1-dimethylene-phophonic acid), polymeric polycarboxylates, and the like. The selection of particular surfactants, builders, optical brighteners, scil antiredeposition agents, perfumes and other detergent ingredients, as well as optimum quantities of such ingredients, can be estabilished by routine testing in accordance wit conventional formulation practice known to those soiled In n the art. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARED EMBODIMENTS This invention is Illustrated by, but not iimlted to, the following Examples wherein all percentages are by weight unless otherwise noted. EXAMPLE I Trisodium imidodisulfate was prepared by the method described by P. Baumgarten, Ber, 6913, 2929-2937 (1936). To 57 grans (0.5 mole) ammonium sulfamate in a 400 milliliter beaker was added 48.5 grams (0.5 mole) sulfamic acid. The solids in the beaker were heated on a hot plate. At about 1200C., a stirrable melt was obtained and at about 1500C., the melt began to solidify. The beaker was removed from the hot plate, and when the solid was cool, it was broken apart and dissolved in 128 grams of 50 percent sodium hydroxide to which water was added to bring the total volume to 450 milliliters. The solution was heated to expel ammonia, cooled to room temperature and filtered. The solution was chilled to 5 C., and 2 seed crystal was added, whereupon â precipitate instantly formed. The precipitate was recovered by filtration and die in vacuo at room temperature. Analysis showed that 82.6 grams of NaN(SO3Na)2#H2O was obtained. EXAMPLE II The trisodum imidodisulfate (TSIS) from Example I was used to prepare disodium chloroimidodisulfat in situ in a series of experiments to show the effectiveness of the bleach. Asufficient quantity of the TSIS from the Example I was added to wash water so that at least a stoichiometric amount of TSIS was present for sodium hypochloride bleach levels up to about 200 ppm available chlorine in the wash water. The sodium hypochloride bleach was added before the fabric was added to the wash water. Two common strains, tea and grape juice, were chosen to test te bleach efficiency. To test damage, two fabrics with bleach sensitive dyes, i.e., blue denim and a brown cotton, were chosen to give the dyes and stains with similar colors (blue and brown). The dye damage tests were run for three cycles to give the data more precision. The bleach studies were run for various levels of bleach so that the effects of the disodium-chloroimidodisulfate could be compare at different bleach levels. After washing, the switches were read on G Gardner XL-23 Colorimeter. The XYZ values (percent reflectance of green, red and blue light, respectively) were read before an after washing. Since the dyes an stains were consistent, the ratio of initial values was similar. This allowed the final XYZ values to be compared directly. To perform the tests, water containing 100 ppm hardness with a calcium to magnesium ration of 3:2 was used with 1500 ppm of 2 typical commercial detergent. The detergent contained linear alkylbenzene sulfonate as the surfactant and sodium tripolyphosphate as abuilder along with minor amounts of other detergent ingredients. The wash water was at 120 F. (about 60 C.) and the cycle time was ten minutes. The results, shown in detail in Table 1, were normalized such that the total reflectance for no hypochloride was set at 0 and the total reflectance for 200 ppm hypochloride without TSIS was ser at 100. The data show that at all hypochloride levels, the chloroimidodisulfate provided favorable bleaching. Although slightly higher bleaching can be obtained wit sodium hypochlorite alone, the differences are not easily seen while the dye damage effects are obvious. TABLE 1 FINAL YXS VALUES FOR DAMAGE AND EFFICACY Dye Damage NaOCl TSIS Level Level Brown Cloth Blue Jean % % (ppm) (ppm) Y X Z Y X Z 0 0 6.6 7.9 5.2 3.2 3.4 7.1 33.6 0 750 6.7 7.8 5.1 3.1 3.2 6.7 32.6 0 50 0 8.3 9.7 6.5 3.9 4.1 6.8 39.3 20 750 7.5 8.7 5.5 3.3 3.5 6.2 35.6 3 100 0 11.1 12.8 8.8 4.9 5.1 7.3 50.0 40 750 7.1 8.2 5.5 3.2 3.3 6.0 33.3 4 125 0 18.1 15.1 10.6 5.5 5.9 7.8 58.0 57 750 7.6 8.9 5.9 3.4 3.6 6.0 35.3 5 150 0 15.0 17.1 12.5 6.1 6.5 8.3 65.5 75 750 9.3 10.7 7.2 4.2 4.4 6.9 42.3 20 175 0 15.7 17.9 18.0 7.5 8.1 9.2 71.2 90 -50 9.3 10.7 7.2 4.1 4.3 6.6 12.2 20 200 0 17.8 19.6 14.7 7.3 7.9 9.1 75.9 100 750 10.1 11.7 7.8 4.5 4.8 6.9 45.8 30 Bleaching Efficacy NaOCl TSIS Level Level Tea Grape % % (ppm) (ppm) Y X Z Y X Z 0 0 74 74 76 69 58 73 415 0 750 72 72 73 68 67 78 430 10 50 0 85 85 94 70 69 74 479 50 750 84 83 88 89 68 74 466 40 100 0 87 85 98 87 85 92 522 93 750 87 84 93 82 80 85 511 78 125 0 87 86 97 87 85 93 536 96 750 88 86 95 85 83 89 526 90 150 0 88 86 98 88 86 94 540 100 750 88 86 95 85 83 89 526 90 175 0 88 86 97 88 86 95 540 100 750 88 86 97 86 84 90 531 90 200 0 88 86 97 88 86 95 540 100 750 88 86 97 85 83 90 529 90 Y = green reflectance X = red reflectance Z = blue reflectance EXAMPLE III Diemmonium imidodisulfate was prepared by adding 114 grams (1.0 mole) of ammonium sulfamate to 97 grams 81.0 mole) of sulfamic acid in a 1-liter beaker. The mixture was heated on a hot plate with constant stirring. At about 130 C, a stirrable slurry was obtained and at about 155 C. an exothermic reaction began, forming a solid. When the solid cooled, it was dissolved in about 375 grams of 45 percent potassium hydroxide. Water was added to bring the total volume to 800 milliliters. The solution was filtered and then heated under vacuum to expel ammonia. Upon cooling, concentrated hydrochloric acid was carefully added to the solution to adjust the mixture to pH 7.5. A precipitate was obtained and upon filtering, about 150 grams of potassium imidodisulfate was obtained. About 100 grams of the dipotassium salt and 51 grams of 45 percent potassium hydroxide were added to 500 grams water. Chlorine gas was added to the solution until it reached ph 7.5. Potassium hydroxide was added to adjust the pH to about ph 8.5. The solutin was filtered and evaporated on arotary evaporator until the solution became cloudy with precipitated crystals. The solution was cooled and the precipitate was recovered by filtration. The precipitate was dried overnIght in a strean of dry air. Analysis of a portion of the precipitate confirmed that the precipitate was Cl#N(SO3K92. A potassium iodo-thiosulfate titration showed that the product contained about 23.8 8 percent available chlorine. Analysis by X-ray diffraction using a Phillips scanning X-ray diffractometer using CuK&alpha; radiaton showed the following major spacings: 4.29; 4.39; 4.57; 4.63; 4.70; 5.73; 6.08; 6.45; 7.25 and 7.80 A. The chloroimidodisulfate prepared above was used in a serles of experiments to compare the bleaching effectiveness of the bleach of the present invention with sodium hypochlorite and sodium perborate, in accordance with the general procedure of Example II. The results, presented in Table 2 below, have been normalized to permit a ready comparison between the bleach used. TABLE 2 Performance Relative to NaOCl Bleach Stain Removal Dye Demage None (detergent only) 0 0 NaOCl (200 ppm) 100 100 Cl#N(SO3K)2#(200 ppm) 75 20 Sodium Perborate (500 ppm) 15 5 EXAMPLE IV The effect of the pH of the aqueous solution on the storage stability of disodium chloroimidodisulfate was measured by determining the percentage of available chlorine and measuring the available chlorine remaining after 28 days at ambient temperature (23 C.) and at different pH levels. The results are presented in Table 3 below. TABLE 3 Solution Available Cl pH (% of original) 9.3 93 9.7 95 10.0 97 10.2 99 10.4 95 10.8 83 11.0 75 EXAMPLE V The effect of storage temperature on the stability of thre disodium chloroimidodisulfate at pH 10.2 was compared with a commercially available sodium hypochlorite solution containing 5.25 percent available chlorine. The solutions were stored for 22 days at various temperatures and ten analyzed to determine toe available chlorine remaining as a percentage of the chlorine n te original solution. The results are presented in Table 4 below TABLE 4 Storage Tempera- Available Cl ture ( C.) (% of Original) Chloroimide NaOCl 25 95 94 32 90 62 50 43 28 Althrough the invention has been described in terms of specified embodimente which are set forth in considerable detail. it should be understood that this is by may of illustration only and that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto since alternative embodiments and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art In view of the disclosure. Accordingly, modifications are contemplated which can be made without departing from the spirit of the described invention.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A fabric bleaching composition comprising water and a chlorine-containing bleach characterized in that the chlorine-containing bleach is selected from the group consisting of disodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate, and mixtures thereof. 2. A composition of Claim 1 wherein the amount of bleach is between 10 ppm and about 15 weight percent. 3. A composition of Claim 1 wherein the amount of bleach is between 50 ppm and 1500 ppm. 4. A composition of Claim 1 wherein the composition contains a sufficient amount of a buffering agent to maintain the pH between about pH 9 and pH 10.5 5. A composition of Claim 4 wherein the amount of buffering agent is between about 10 weight percent and about 25 weight percent, based on the weight of the bleach.. 6. A composition of Claim 4 wherein the buffering agent is an alkali metal carbonate. 7. A composition of Claim 4 wherein the composition contains a detergent selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants, or mixture thereof. 8. A composition of Claim 7 wherein the amount of detergent is between about 100 pom. and 95 weight percent, based on the weight of the composition. 9. A solid detergent formulation comprising, based on the total weight of the composition, at least percent by weight of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, ampholytic and amphoteric surfactants, and at least 5 percent by weight of a builder, characterized in that the formulation further contains a sufficient amount of trisodium imidodisulfate, tripotassium imidodisulfate, or mixtures thereof, to form disodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chlorolmidodisulfate, or mixtures thereof, 'n wash water containing another chlorine-containing bleach. 10. A detergent formulation of Claim 9 wherein the amount of trisodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate, or mixtures thereof, is at least 13 weight percent but less than 7 weight percent. 11. A detergent composition of Claim 9 further containing a solid, chlorine-containing bleach. 12. A process for washing s.ciled fabrics comprising contacting the fabrics with an aqueous detergent composition which includes a surfactant and a chlorine-containing bleach, characterized in that the chlorine-containing bleach is selected from the group consisting of disodium chloroimidodisulfate, dipotassium chloroimidodisulfate and mixtures thereof. 13. A process of Claim 12 wherein the amount of bleach is at least 10 pp.

Inventors: CRUTCHFIELD, MARVIN MACK, LANGGUTH, ROBERT PARKS, MAYER, JAMES MICHAEL
Applicants: MONSANTO COMPANY
Application year: 1979
Main classification: C11D3
IPC codes: D06L3, C11D3