GB800159A - Polyoxyalkylene surface active compounds - Google Patents

Abstract

Mixed surface-active polyoxyalkylene compounds are prepared by reacting ethylene oxide with a product having a molecular weight of at least about 1000 and a detergency factor greater than 100 which has been prepared by forming random polyoxypropylene - polyoxyethylene chains at the sites of reactive hydrogen atoms in a compound containing 2-6 such hydrogen atoms, not more than about 8 carbon atoms and having a detergency factor less than 100 per cent. The polyoxyethylene chains constitute 5-90 per cent by weight of the final product. The term "detergency factor" is defined in the Specification. Suitable reactive hydrogen-containing starting materials are ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, adipic acid, amylamine, ethylamine, glycerine, oxalic acid, glycollic acid, pentaerythritol, trimethylolpropane, pentane-diol-1,5, hexane-diol-1,6, octane-diol-1,8, resorcinol, aniline, or 4-butylbenzene sulphonamide. The intermediate polymers are prepared by reacting mixed ethylene oxide and propylene oxide with the substance containing reactive hydrogen (preferably ethylene or propylene glycol) at elevated temperature and pressure in presence of an acidic or basic catalyst, e.g. sodium alkoxide or hydroxide or a quaternary ammonium base. The final condensation with ethylene oxide alone is similarly performed. Preparation of a compound is described, starting with propylene glycol, adding chains containing propylene oxide and ethylene oxide randomly distributed to produce a polymer with a molecular weight of 1675, and reacting this with further ethylene oxide. This polymer and others similarly constituted had carbon soil removal values as defined in the Specification between 106 and 283 per cent. The products of the invention are useful inter alia as laundry detergents, dry cleaning solvents, de-greasing agents for wool and as plasticisers for synthetic resins.