Patent ID: 7645731

Claim:
A detergent composition for preventing calcium, magnesium and iron precipitation and for removing soils, the detergent composition comprising: (a) a caustic; (b) a surfactant; and (c) an aminocarboxylate functionalized catechol; (d) wherein the aminocarboxylate functionalized catechol has the formula: wherein: R 1 is NR 3 R 4 or R 2 NR 3 R 4 , R 2 is selected from the group consisting of a lower alkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, at least one of R 3 and R 4 is R 5 (COOH) 2 , R 5 is selected from the group consisting of lower linear alkyl from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, SO 3 X, COOX, halogen, alkoxy group, a lower alkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, an amine having the general formula —N(R 9 ) 2 where R 9 is a lower alkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a hydroxyalkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms or any combination thereof, and X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkali metal ion, one half of an alkaline earth metal ion, and an ammonium ion with the general formula: wherein each of R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 is a lower alkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a hydroxyalkyl group from about 1 to about 4 carbon atoms or any combination thereof.