ALKOXYLATE OF 2-PROPYL HEPTANOL AND USE THEREOF

Abstract: The invention relates to an alkoxylate of the general formula (I): C5H11CH(C3H7)CH2O(B)r(C2H4O)pH, wherein B is an alkyleneoxy group having 3-4 carbon atoms, p is 1-10 and r is 1-6. The alkoxylate may be included as a surface-active component in compositions for cleaning textile materials.

Description: ALKOXYLATE OF 2-PROPYL HEPTA OL AND USE THEREOF The present invention relates to an alkoxylate of 2-propyl heptanol. The alkoxylate exhibits high detergent power on textile materials and low foaming compared with similar compounds having a hydrophobic group of approxi¬ mately the same size and approximately the same HLB-value. The alkoxylate may advantageously be used as a surface- active component in detergent compositions for textile materials. It has long been known to alkoxylate alcohols for obtaining non-ionic surface-active compounds. These com¬ pounds have been used in detergent compositions because of their wetting and dispersing properties. In a number of applications, alkoxylates of C fl ... alcohols have how¬ ever been found to be too high-foaming and/or not to have the desired detergent power. For example, ethoxy¬ lates based on branched C R alcohols often exhibit accept¬ able foaming but too low a detergent power, whereas ethoxylates based on straight or branched alcohols having a larger hydrocarbon chain often show an acceptable sur¬ face activity but too high foaming. Thus, there is a need for new alkylene oxide adducts with an improved ratio of foaming to detergent power. It has now been found that an alkoxylate based on 2-propyl heptanol has good detergent and wetting proper¬ ties as well as low foaming as compared with other alco¬ hols having substantially the same chain length. In addi¬ tion, it has been found that the alkoxylate is easily degradable and has a surprisingly low biotoxicity. In tests, no skin-irritant effect has been noted. The alkoxylate according to the invention can be illustrated by the formula C 5 H 11 CH(C 3 H 7) CH 2 0(B) r (C 2 H 4 0) H (I) wherein B is an alkyleneoxy group having 3-4 carbon atoms, p is 1-10 and r is 1-6. Preferably, p is 2-8 and r is 1-4. In these compounds, the hydrophobic properties of the hydrocarbon chain have been enhanced by adding hydrophobic alkyleneoxy groups closest to the alcohol. The compounds have a good detergent power on textile materials while at the same time showing slightly lower foaming in rela¬ tion to compounds having a hydrophobic group of approxi¬ mately the same hydrophobicity and approximately the same HLB-value. The alkoxylates according to the invention described above can be prepared by adding in a conventional manner in the presence of a conventional alkali catalyst, such as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, the above-men- tioned amounts of alkylene oxide to 2-propyl heptanol, which is a so-called Guebert alcohol. According to a pre¬ ferred mode of execution, the addition of ethylene oxide is performed using a conventional catalyst which gives a narrower distribution of added ethylene oxide than any alkali catalyst, such as NaOH or KOH. Thus prepared alkoxylates according to the invention have very low foam¬ ing. Examples of conventional catalysts giving a narrow distribution of added alkylene oxide are Ca(0H) 2 , Ba(0H)„, Sr(0H)„ and hydrotalcite. The reaction is preferably con- ducted in the absence of free water to reduce the amount of by-products and usually at a temperature of 70-180°C. Textile-cleaning compositions including the alkoxy¬ late according to the invention may also contain other surface-active compounds, such as anionic ones. Examples hereof are alkyl sulphate, alkyl ether sulphate, alkyl benzene sulphonate, α-olefin sulphonate and alkyl glyceryl sulphonate. Other commonly occurring components are solu- tising additives, complexing agents and/or pH-adjusting agents, enzymes, bactericides and perfumes. The composi- tions are usually aqueous and in the form of emulsions, microemulsions or solutions. The invention will be further illustrated by the fol¬ lowing Examples . Example 1 An alkoxylate according to the invention are prepared by alkoxylating 2-propyl ethanol with the amounts of alky¬ lene oxide appearing from the Table below in the presence of potassium hydroxide as catalyst. For reference pur¬ poses, two alkoxylates were prepared using a Cg ,., alcohol (Dobanol 91 Shell) as hydrophobic ingredient. The result¬ ing products were analysed and structurally determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The turbidity points were measured in water or monobutylether diethylene glycol. The following results were obtained. Table 1 EO = ethylene oxide; PO = propylene oxide, BDGϊ == mmoonnoobbuuttyylleettlher diethylene glycol 1) PO added first Example 2 The foaming properties of the alkoxylates reported in the following Table were measured according to Ross-Miles ASTM D 1173-53. The following results were obtained. Table 2 The compound according to the invention has equiva¬ lent or slightly lower foaming as compared with compounds A and B. Example 3 Washing tests were carried out in a Terg-O-Tometer on pigment-soiled cotton and cotton/polyester. Washed-away soil was thereafter determined by conventional reflectance measurement. The following results were obtained. Table 3 From these results it appears that the compound ac¬ cording to the invention all in all has higher detergent power than the reference compound. From Example 2 also appears that the compound according to the invention has slightly lower foaming than the reference compound.

Claims: C L I M S 1. An alkoxylate as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r - a c t e r i s e d by having the general formula C 5 H 11 CH(C 3 H 7 )CH 2 0(B) r (C 2 H 4 0) p H (I) wherein B is an alkyleneoxy group having 3-4 carbon atoms, p is 1-10 and r is 1-6. 2. An alkoxylate as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d in that p is 2-8 and r is 1-4. 3. The use of a compound as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in a detergent composition for textile materials.

Inventors: BERGSTROEM KARIN, DAHLGREN LENNART, BERGSTROEM, KARIN, DAHLGREN, LENNART
Applicants: BERGSTROEM KARIN, BEROL NOBEL AB, DAHLGREN LENNART, BERGSTROEM, KARIN, DAHLGREN, LENNART
Application year: 1993
Main classification: C07C43
IPC codes: C07C43, C11D1