A pigment preparation contains as dispersing agent at least one compound of the general formula <FORM:0976084/C1/1> where R = a hydrocarbon radical which may be substituted, A=an alkylene radical having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, n=an integer up to 80, and X=hydrogen or a radical which dissociates as a cation in water, R may be an aliphatic straight chain or branched radical, e.g. dodecyl or tridecyl or mixtures thereof, or an alkyl aryl radical in which the aryl radical is mono- or multi-nuclear, or an alkyl cycloalkyl radical. X may be sodium, potassium, ammonium or an aliphatic, cyclic or hydroxyamine. Other substances which may be present include polyglycol ethers of the formula <FORM:0976084/C1/2> where R has the meaning as in (I) and y is 1 to 50, aliphatic diols and ethers thereof, 2-methyl-2-hydroxy pentanone-4, dimethyl sulphoxide, butyrolacetone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, condensation products of formaldehyde and naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphuric acid esters of fatty alcohols, alkyl aryl sulphonates, sulphosuccinic acid dialkyl esters with straight chain or branched alkyl radicals, keto-alcohols and lactones. The pigments (e.g. up to 5 microns) may be organic or inorganic and may be coloured, e.g. metal free or metal-containing, unhalogenated or halogenated phthalocyanines, azo dyes, dioxazine derivatives, anthraquinone, dyes, nitroso dyes, basic dyes, quinacridine-7,14 diones, perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimides, titanium dioxide, barium sulphate, china clay, calcium carbonate, carbon black, oxides and hydrated oxides of iron, chromium, lead or manganese and cadmium sulphide. Infusorial earth and silicon oxides may be included. The preparation may be prepared by grinding the pigment in an organic liquid, roller milling, adding dispersing agent (I) and other additives, homogenizing, grinding and adding an agent to improve the odour; or by mixing all the components and grinding simultaneously. The preparations may be incorporated in oil or water paints based on natural resins, casein, chlorinated rubber or synthetic resins. Specification 793,113 is referred to.ALSO:Paint is prepared by incorporating into styrene-butadiene polymers, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl propionate, phenol resins, urea resins, melamine resins, cyclohexanone resins, alkyd resins, unsaturated polyester resins, polyurethane resins or epoxy resins a pigment preparation containing as dispersing agent at least one compound of the general formula <FORM:0976084/C3/1> where R=a hydrocarbon radical which may be substituted, A=an alkylene radical having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, n=an integer up to 80, and X= hydrogen or a radical which dissociates as a cation in water. R may be an aliphatic straight chain or branched radical, e.g. dodecyl or tridecyl or mixtures thereof, or an alkyl aryl radical in which the aryl radical is mono- or multi-nuclear, or an alkyl cycloalkyl radical. X may be sodium, potassium, ammonium or an aliphatic, cyclic or hydroxyamine. Other substances which may be present include polyglycol ethers of the formula <FORM:0976084/C3/2> where R has the meaning as in (I) and y is 1 to 50, aliphatic diols and ethers thereof, 2-methyl-2-hydroxy pentanone-4, dimethyl sulphoxide buryrolacetone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, condensation products of formaldehyde and naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphuric acid esters of fatty alcohols, alkyl aryl sulphonates, sulphosuccinic acid dialkyl esters with straight chain or branched alkyl radicals, keto-alcohols and lactones. The pigments (e.g. up to 5 microns) may be organic or inorganic and may be coloured, e.g. metal free or metal-containing, unhalogenated or halogenated phthalocyanines, azo dyes, dioxarine derivatives, anthraquinone, dyes, nitroso dyes, basic dyes, quinaceridine-7, 14 diones, perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimides, titanum dioxide, barium sulphate, china clay, calcium carbonate, carbon black, oxides and hydrated oxides of iron, chromium, lead or manganese and cadmium sulphide. Infusorial earth and silicon oxides may be included. The resins may be dissolved or dispersed in water or vegetable oils. The preparation may be prepared by grinding the pigment in an organic liquid, roller milling, adding dispersing agent (I) and other additives, homogenising, grinding and adding an agent to improve the odour; or by mixing all the components and grinding simultaneously. Specification 793,113 is referred to.ALSO:A pigment preparation contains as dispersing agent at least one compound of the general formula <FORM:0976084/C4-C5/1> where R = a hydrocarbon radical which may be substituted, A = an alkylene radical having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, n = an integer up to 80, and X = hydrogen or a radical which dissociates as a cation in water. R may be an aliphatic straight chain or branched radical, e.g. dodecyl or tridecyl or mixtures thereof, or an alkyl aryl radical in which the aryl radical is mono- or multi-nuclear, or an alkyl cycloalkyl radical. X may be sodium, potassium, ammonium or an aliphatic, cyclic or hydroxyamine. Other substances which may be present include polyglycol ethers of the formula R-(OC2H4)y-O-CH2-CH2OH (II) where R has the meaning as in (I) and y is 1 to 50, aliphatic diols and ethers thereof, 2-methyl-2-hydroxy pentanone-4, dimethyl sulphoxide, buryrolacetone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, condensation products of formaldehyde and naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphuric acid esters of fatty alcohols, alkyl aryl sulphonates, sulphosuccinic acid dialkyl esters with straight chain or branched alkyl radicals, keto-alcohols and lactones. The pigments (e.g. up to 5 microns) may be organic or inorganic and may be coloured, e.g. metal free or metal-containing, unhalogenated or halogenated phthalocyanines, azo dyes, dioxazine derivatives, anthraquinone, dyes, nitroso dyes, basic dyes, quinacridine-7,14 diones, perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimides, titanium dioxide, barium sulphate, china clay, calcium carbonate, carbon black, oxides and hydrated oxides of iron, chromium, lead or manganese and cadmium sulphide. Infusorial earth and silicon oxides may be included. The preparation may be prepared by grinding the pigment in an organic liquid, roller milling, adding dispersing agent (I) and other additives, homogenizing, grinding and adding an agent to improve the odour; or by mixing all the components and grinding simultaneously. The preparations may be incorporated in oil, or water paints based on natural resins, casein, chlorinated rubber or synthetic resins. Specification 793,113 is referred to.ALSO:A pigment preparation contains as dispersing agent at least one compound of the general formula: <FORM:0976084/B1-B2/1> where R is a hydrocarbon radical which may be substituted, A is an alkylene radical having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, n is an integer up to 80, and X is hydrogen or a radical which dissociates as a cation in water. R may be an aliphatic straight chain or branched radical, e.g. dodecyl or tridecyl or mixtures thereof, or an alkyl aryl radical in which the aryl radical is mono- or multi-nuclear, or an alkyl cycloalkyl radical. X may be sodium, potassium, ammonium or an aliphatic, cyclic or hydroxyamine. Other substances which may be present include polyglycol ethers of the formula: R-(OC2H4)y-O-CH2-CH2OH where R has the meaning as in (I) and y is 1 to 50, aliphatic diols and ethers thereof, 2-methyl-2-hydroxy pentanone-4, dimethyl sulphoxide, butyrolacetone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, condensation products of formaldehyde and naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphuric acid esters of fatty alcohols, alkyl aryl sulphonates, sulphosuccinic acid dialkyl esters with straight chain or branched alkyl radicals, keto-alcohols and lactones. The pigments (e.g. up to 5 microns) may be unhalogenated or halogenated phthalocyanines, azo dyes, dioxarine derivatives, anthraquinone dyes, nitroso dyes, basic dyes, quinacridine-7,14 diones and perylenetetracarboxylic acid diimides. The preparation may be prepared by grinding the pigment in an organic liquid, roller milling, adding dispersing agent (I) and other additives, homogenizing, grinding and adding an agent to improve the odour; or by mixing all the components and grinding simultaneously. Specification 793,113 is referred to.