Patent EP-1485459-A1 (EP)
Title: Copolyesteramides and the use thereof as a soil release agent
Inventor: TROUILLET-FONTI LISE
IPC: C09K3/00
Filed: 2003-03-13
Abstract: Water-soluble or water-dispersible sulfonated linear copolymers comprising linear polyester-amide chains with sulfonated residues, possibly linear polyester chains and possibly polyamide chains.  Water- soluble or water-dispersible sulfonated linear copolymers (C) comprising linear polyester-amide chains (C1) based on ester-amide units of formula (I), and optionally ester units of formula (II), possibly linear polyester chains (C2) of formula (III), and possibly polyamide chains (C3) of formula (IV), the mol% of -CO-Q-CO- groups (in I, II and III) in which Q is a sulfonated group (SQ) being 5-40 (preferably 7-35) %.  Chains (C1) have terminal groups of formula HO-(CO-W-NR')p (V) and/or Z-(O-R)n-O- (VI1) and/or Y-O- (VII1) and/or -Y (attached to an ether-oxygen in C1).  Chains (C2) have terminal groups of formula Z-(O-R)n-O- (VI2) and/or Y-O- (VII2) and/or -Y (as above). Chains (C3) are terminated with H (attached to N in chain C3) and OH (attached to -CO- in C3).  The units of C1 are linked together or to the chain ends (VI1) and (VII1) by ester linkages, and linked to the ends of (V) by amide groups; chain (C2) is linked to the chain ends (VI2) and (VII2) by ester linkages.  The number of units (I) and (II) in (C1) and the values of m, p, x and z are such that the weight-average mol. wt. (Mw) of (C) is 500-80000, preferably 1500-80000, especially 3000-20000.  The value of m, (m+p), (m+z) or (m+p+z) when amide groups (V) and/or polyamide chains (C3) are present is such that the ratio of the number of groups -CO-Q-CO- to the number of groups -NR'-W-CO- in (C) is 1/99-99/1, preferably 10/90-99/1, especially 40/60-95/5.  (-CO-Q-CO(NR'-W-CO)m-(O-R)n-O-)              (I)  (-CO-Q-CO-(O-R)n-O-)                                      (II)   (-CO-Q-CO-(O-R)n-O-)x                                (III)    -(NR'-W-CO)z-                                                 (IV)  Q  =  a non-ionic mono- or poly-arylene or alkylene residue (NQ) or a similar sulfonated residue (SQ) with at least one sulfonic acid or sulfonate group;  R'  =  H or 1-4C alkyl;  W  =  1-20C (preferably 1-12C) non-ionic alkylene or arylene;  R  =  2-4C alkylene, preferably ethylene;  m, p  =  at least 1;  n  =  1-4;  x, z  =  more than 1;  Z  =  H, sulfobenzoyl, 2-30C sulfoalkyl or a phenylsulfonate group;  Y  =  H or 1-30C alkyl, preferably methyl Independent claims are also included for  (1) a method for the preparation of (C) by insertion/polymerisation, aminolysis/acidolysis/poly-condensation or ester/amide exchange in the melt in presence of suitable catalysts, using corresponding amino-acids, polyamino-acids (polyamides) or lactams, and linear sulfonated polyesters as starting materials (2) textile fibre treatment compositions containing 0.01-70 (preferably 0.05-30) wt% (C) for use in washing and/or rinsing, stain removal before washing, or ironing (3) a method for improving the properties of such compositions by adding (C) in amounts sufficient to confer soil-release and/or anti-redeposition and/or detergent properties