Patent ID: 7030074

Claim:
A process for preparing a cleaning composition, the process comprising the steps of: i) preparing 5-methyl-N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone (VI) using a process comprising the step of contacting a levulinic acid ester (I) with an alkyl cyano compound (V) in the presence of hydrogen gas and a metal catalyst, the metal catalyst being optionally supported, and, optionally, in the presence of a solvent; wherein R 2 is hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl, C 1 –C 18 unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, unsubstituted or substituted alkynyl, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl containing at least one heteroatom, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, and unsubstituted or substituted heteroaryl, and wherein R 4 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 30 carbons, and wherein R 4 may be C 1 –C 30 unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, C 1 –C 30 unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, C 1 –C 30 unsubstituted or substituted alkynyl, C 3 –C 30 unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, or C 3 –C 30 unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl containing at least one heteroatom; and ii) contacting 5-methyl-N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone (VI) with a compound selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, glycols, glycol ethers, aliphatic alcohols, alkanolamines, pyrrolidones, water, and mixtures thereof.