Patent ID: 8492326

Claim:
A mixture, comprising (i) an alkoxylate of formula (A) or (AQ): (ii) a surface-active substance: wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, butylene, pentylene, phenylethylene, cyclohexylene, decylene, and any mixture thereof, R 3 is H, —OH, OR 4 , -[R 5 -O], p -R 6 , C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, or an oxygen anion, R 4 is C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, or C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, butylene, and any mixture thereof, each R 6 is independently —H, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, —SO 3 R a , —P(O)OR b OR C , -CH 2 CO 2 R d , or —C(O)R e , each R a , R d is independently H or an organic or inorganic cation, each R b , R c is independently H, an organic or inorganic cation, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, or C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, R e is C 1 -C 22 -alkyl, C 2 -C 22 -alkenyl, C 2 -C 22 -alkynyl, C 5 -C 22 -aryl, or C 6 -C 22 -alkylaryl, each m, n, and p is independently an integer of from 1 to 30, and A− is an anion, with the proviso that if R 3 is an oxygen atom, A is not present, wherein the sum of (A) and (AQ) present in said mixture is 0.8 to 20% by weight, and wherein said surface-active substance is at least one member selected from the group consisting of alcohol sulfate/ether sulfates, alcohol phosphates, ether phosphates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, alpha-olefinsulfonates, sulfosuccinates, quaternized ammonium salts, amine oxides, alcohol alkoxylates, alkylamide ethoxylates, alkyl polyglucosides, PO-EO block copolymers, fatty acid ethoxylates, vegetable oil ethoxylates, alkylamine oxides, and betaines, said mixture having low toxicity.