Patent ID: 7642282

Claim:
A whitening agent for cellulosic substrates comprising: (a) at least one chromophore component that comprises a thiophene colorant, and (b) at least one polymeric component; wherein the whitening agent is characterized by the following structure: Wherein R 1 and R 2 can independently be selected from: a) [(CH 2 CR′HO) x (CH 2 CR″HO) y H] wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH 3 , CH 2 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) z H, wherein R″ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH 2 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) z H, and mixtures thereof; wherein x+y≦5; wherein y≧1; and wherein z=0 to 5; b) R 1 =alkyl, aryl or aryl alkyl and R 2 =[(CH 2 CR′HO) x (CH 2 CR″HO) y H] wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH 3 , CH 2 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) z H, wherein R″ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH 2 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) z H, and mixtures thereof; wherein x+y≦10; wherein y≧1; and wherein z=0 to 5; c) R 1 =[CH 2 CH 2 (OR 3 )CH 2 OR 4 ] and R 2 =[CH 2 CH 2 (O R 3 )CH 2 O R 4 ] wherein R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, (CH 2 CH 2 O) z H, and wherein z=0 to 10; wherein R 4 is selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 16 )alkyl, aryl groups.