Patent ID: 7183240

Claim:
A process for inhibiting gas hydrates comprising the steps of: providing a system which forms gas hydrates and is composed of water and hydrocarbons; providing a compound of the formula 1 where R 1 , R 2 are each independently radicals of the formulae —(B)—(O—A) n —O—CO—R 5 (2) or —(A—O) n —(C′)—CO—O—R 5 (3) R 3 is C 1 - to C 30 -alkyl or C 2 - to C 30 -alkenyl, R 4 is an organic radical which contains heteroatoms and has from 1 to 100 carbon atoms, wherein the heteroatoms are nitrogen and oxygen, R 5 is C 1 - to C 30 -alkyl or C 2 - to C 30 -alkenyl, n is a number from 1 to 20, A is a C 2 - to C 4 -alkylene group, B is a C 1 - to C 10 -alkylene group, C′ is a C 1 - to C 6 -alkylene group and X is an anion; and adding said compound to said system.