Patent GB-833444-A (GB)
Title: Foaming detergent compositions
IPC: C11D1/83
Filed: 1956-05-18
Abstract: A foaming synthetic detergent composition comprises (a) 0.1-1.0 part (all parts by weight) of a non-ionic surface active polyoxyethylene ether of a multi-branched chain primary alcohol of 8-18 carbon atoms containing 30-90% of combined ethylene oxide, the alcohol having the configuration of an alcohol produced by the oxo process from a multi-branched chain olefin of 7-17 carbon atoms, and (b) 1 part of a water-soluble anionic synthetic detergent containing at least 10 carbon atoms in the form of an alkali-metal, alkaline-earth metal, or ammonium salt.  The ethers (a) have the general formula R-CH2-O(CH2.CH2O)n-H where R is the multi-branched alkyl chain with 7-17 carbon atoms and n represents the number of ethenoxy groups sufficient to constitute 30-90% by weight.  If required, part of the combined ethylene oxide may be replaced by propylene oxide.  The preferred alcohol is oxotridecyl alcohol combined with 5-30 mols. of ethylene oxide, but many other similar suitable alcohols are listed. The oxyethylenated alcohols may be embodied in the three following preferred types of compositions: (i) a built or heavy-duty composition containing an alkali metal salt of a phosphoric or boric acid and wherein the alcohol condensate contains 30-75% of combined ethylene oxide; (ii) an unbuilt or light-duty composition comprising an alkyl aryl sulphonate having at least 8 alkyl carbon atoms and an alcohol condensate containing 50-90% of combined ethylene oxide; and (iii) an unbuilt or light-duty composition comprising 25-75 parts of a detersive water-soluble anionic sulphate ester of a polyoxyethylene derivative of an organic compound of at least 10 carbon atoms, 75-0 parts of an alkyl aryl sulphonate having at least 8 alkyl carbon atoms, and 10-90% of the combined weight of these anionic detergents of the alcohol condensate which contains 50-90% of combined ethylene oxide.  The alkyl aryl sulphonates may be represented by the formula <FORM:0833444/III/1> where Ra is an alkyl radical of at least 4 carbon atoms, Rb is an alkyl radical, n1 is 0-3, the sum of the carbon atoms in Ra and (Rb)n1 is at least 8, Ar is benzene or naphthalene, M is hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, or ammonium, m is 1/2 or 1, according to the valence of M, and n2 is 1 or 2.  The preferred compound is the sodium, potassium or ammonium salt of dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid.  N-higher acyl taurines of the general formula <FORM:0833444/III/2> where Rc is an aliphatic or alicyclic radical of at least 11 carbon atoms, Rd is hydrogen or a lower aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic radical, M is hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, or ammonium, and m is 1/2 or 1, may also be employed as the anionic detergent.  Of several specified examples, sodium N-tallow acyl-N-methyl tauride is preferred.  The sulphate esters of the polyoxyethylene derivatives of organic compounds may be represented by the formula Re-(CH2CH2O)n3-SO3Mm where Re represents the residue of an organic compound containing at least 10 carbon atoms in addition to a reactive hydrogen atom, such as alcohols, phenols, thiols, primary and secondary amines, carboxylic and sulphonic acids and their amides, n3 is the number of ethenoxy groups sufficient to constitute 20-90% of the compound, M is hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium and m is 1/2 or 1. Preferred compounds of this type, of which many examples are given, are the derivatives of the alkyl phenols.  Other anionic detergents which may be employed are the sulphonates and sulphate esters of higher fatty alcohols, acids, esters, vegetable oils, fats, waxes, fatty acid mono- and di-glycerides and high-molecular petroleum hydrocarbons, and the mono-, di-, and mixed-esters of sulphosuccinic acid, in the form of the water soluble alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal or ammonium salts.  Phosphate esters of polyethenoxylated organic compounds are also mentioned.  The alkali-metal phosphoric or boric acid salts which are used in the built compositions in amounts of 10-90 parts are preferably sodium ortho-, meta-, or poly-phosphates, suitably an equal mixture of sodium pyrophosphate and tripolyphosphate, or sodium tetraborate or sodium perborate, or mixtures of such salts.  Other salts which may be included in amounts of 0-50 parts are sodium carbonate, sesquicarbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulphate and silicates.  Water-soluble polyose derivatives such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose, starch, lichenin, xylan, hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl starch, cellulose glycollic acid, starch glycollic acid, and cellulose ethanesulphonic acid, and their water-soluble alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium and amine salts, may also be employed in the built compositions in amounts of 0-5 parts.  The built compositions are preferably produced in particulate form, but the light-duty compositions are usually formulated as liquids of 20-60% concentration.  Solvents specified are water, lower alcohols, glycols, glycerol and glycol ethers.  Specifications 380,431, 380,851, 645,129, 759,877, 808,805, and U.S.A. Specifications 2,002,613, 2,085,706, 2,205,021, 2,213,477, 2,266,141, 2,593,112 and 2,677,700 are referred to.