MXPA94006586A - Detergent compositions containing sugar liquid or in gel for light work, concentrated to wash pla - Google Patents

Abstract

Heavy-duty liquid or gel detergent compositions are disclosed for washing dishes containing highly active levels of surfactant, magnesium and sugar. The compositions have improved stability and product dissolution in the lava water

Description

DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING LIQUID SUGAR OR IN GEL FOR LIGHT WORK. CONCENTRATES FOR WASHING DISHES Inventor (s): KOFI OFOSU-ASANTE Ghanaian residing at 1209 Brushwood, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224, E.U.A.

Causabiente: THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY, a North American company organized and existing according to the laws of the State of Ohio residing in One Procter & Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati. Ohio 45202, E.U.A.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Heavy-duty liquid or gel detergent compositions are disclosed for washing dishes containing highly active levels of surfactant, magnesium and sugar. The compositions exhibit improved stability and product dissolution in the wash water.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to liquid or gel detergent compositions for light duty dish washing, which contain very active levels of surfactant and sucrose for improved stability and dissolution.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Typical light duty liquid laundry or gel detergent compositions for washing dishes contain from about 15% to about 30% of the anionic surfactant. The formulation of the concentrated detergent compositions have become even more popular, especially in laundry detergent compositions and automatic dish washing machines. These concentrated compositions solve many environmental issues by reducing the amount of packaging and material of the product needed; however, it is often difficult to formulate stable compositions containing high levels of active detergent ingredients and divalent ions. It has been found that a light duty liquid dishwashing detergent or gel composition can be formed by adding water-soluble saccharides, ie sucrose, to the composition. Surprisingly, the presence of sucrose in such compositions does not only improve the stability of the composition, but also the dissolution of the product in the wash water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention encompasses concentrated liquid or gel compositions for light work, comprising by weight: a) from about 20% to about 95% surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant and mixtures thereof; b) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% magnesium ions; c) from about 0.1% to about 5.0% of the sugar selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides and disaccharides; and d) from about 5% to about 45% by weight of water in which the composition has a pH in a 10% solution in water at 20 ° C of between about 7 and about 11. The compositions exhibit stability and dissolution of the product improved in the wash water. Particularly preferred are compositions containing calcium ions for the removal of additional fat and benefits of soapy water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a method for a light duty liquid or gel detergent composition for washing dishes comprising by weight: a) from about 20% to about 95% surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant and its mixtures; b) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% magnesium ions; c) from about 0.1% to about 5.0% sugar selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides and disaccharides; and d) from about 5% to about 45% water; wherein the composition has a pH in a 10% solution in water at 20 ° C of between about 7 and about 11. The term "light duty detergent washing composition" as used herein, refers to those compositions which are used in manual dish washing (ie by hand). For the term "sugar" it means a mono- or di-saccharide or its derivative or a degraded starch or a degraded starch, chemically modified which is soluble in water. The term "concentrate" as used herein refers to a detergent composition that contains at least 40% total surfactant.

TENSIOACT OS The light duty liquid or gel detergent compositions for dishwashing of this invention preferably contain certain surfactants to aid in foaming, detergency and / or ness. The anionic, nonionic and / or amphoteric surfactants are present in an amount of from about 20% to about 95%, preferably from about 30% to about 75%, most preferably from about 40% to about 70%. Included in this category are various anionic surfactants commonly used in liquid detergents or in gel for washing dishes. The cations associated with these anionic surfactants can be alkali metals, ammonium, mono-, di- and tri-ethanolammonium, preferably sodium, potassium, ammonium and mixtures thereof. Examples of the anionic surfactants which are useful in the present invention are the following classes: (1) Alkyl benzenesulfonates in which the alkyl group contains from 9 to 15 carbon atoms, preferably from 11 to 14 carbon atoms in a linear chain or branched chain configuration. An especially preferred linear alkyl benzene sulfonate containing about 12 carbon atoms. U.S. Patent Nos. 2,220,099 and 2,477,383 describe these surfactants in detail. (2) Alkyl sulfates obtained by sulfating an alcohol having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 16 carbon atoms. The alkyl sulfates have the formula R0S03-M + where R is the alkyl group of Ce-22 and M is a mono- and / or divalent cation. (3) Paraffin sulfonates having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl portion. These surfactants are commercially available as Hostapur SAS from Hoechst Celanese. (4) Olefin sulfonates having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 to 16 carbon atoms. U.S. Patent No. 3,332,880 contains a description of suitable olefin sulfonates. (5) The alkyl ether sulphates derived from the ethoxylation of an alcohol having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably from 12 to 16 carbon atoms, less than 30, preferably less than 12, moles of ethylene oxide. Alkyl ether sulfates have the formula: RO (C2H40) xS03"M + where R is an alkyl group of C-22 'x is 1_ 30 and M is a mono- or divalent cation. (6) Alkylglyceryl ether sulphonate having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl portion. (7) Fatty acid esters of the formula: Ri-CH (S03"M +) C02R2 wherein R ^ is linear or branched alkyl of about Ce to Ciß preferably C ^ to C ^ g and R2 is straight or branched alkyl of about Ci to Cg, preferably mainly Ci and M + represents a mono- or divalent cation (8) Secondary alcohol sulfates having from 10 to 18, preferably from 8 to 16 carbon atoms. (9) Oxide disulfonate surfactants of alkyldiphenyl of the general formula: R = C10-C18, can be branched or linear Rx = H or R M = Na +, K +, NH4 +, CA ++ or Mg ++ R = CIO-CIO, can be branched or linear Ri = H or R M1 = CA ++ or Mg ++ Suitable commercially available disulfonate surfactants are the DOWFAXR series from Dow Chemical (Dowfax 2A1, 3B2, 8290) and the POLY-TERGENT® series from 01in Corp. (10) The following general structures illustrate some of the special soaps (or their precursor acids) employed in this invention. A. A most preferred class of soaps used herein, consists of the secondary carboxyl materials of C? Or ~ ci6 ° and the formula R CH (R4) C00M, wherein R3 is CH3 (CH2)? and R4 is CH3 (CH2) y, where y can be 0 or an integer from 1 to 6, x is an integer from 6 to 12 and the sum of (x + y) is 6-12, of preference 7-11, more preferably 8-9. B. Another class of special soaps useful herein, consists of those carboxyl compounds in which the carboxyl substituent is in a hydrocarbyl ring unit, ie, secondary soaps of the formula R5-R6-COOM, wherein R5 is C7-C10 alkyl or alkenyl / preferably Cβ-Cg and R is a ring structure, such as benzene, cyclopentane, cyclohexane and the like . (Note: R may be in the ortho, meta or para position relative to the carboxyl in the ring). C. Still another class of soaps includes the primary and secondary carboxyl compounds of ^ Q-IQ of the formula R7CH (R8) COOM, in which the sum of the carbons in R7 and R8 is 8-16, R7 is of the form CH3- (CHRy) x and R8 is of the form H- (CHR9) and where x and y are the integers in the range of 0-15 and R9 is H or a linear or branched alkyl group of C? _. R9 can be any combination of H and members of the linear or branched alkyl group of C; j__ within a group - (CHR9) Xfy individual; however, each molecule in this class must contain at least one of R that is not H. These types of molecules can be prepared by numerous methods, for example by hydroformylation and oxidation of the branched olefins, hydroxycarboxylation of branched olefins, oxidation of the products of the Guerbet reaction involving the branched oxoalcohols. The branched olefins can be derived by oligomerization of shorter olefins, for example butene, isobutylene, branched hexene, propylene and pentene. D. Still another class of soaps includes the tertiary carboxyl compounds of C? O ~ ci8 'For example neo-acids of the formula R10CR11 (R12) COOM, in which the sum of the carbons in R10, R11 and R12 is 8- 16 R10, R11 and R12 are of the form CH3- (CHR13) X, where x is an integer in the range of 0-13 and R13 is H or a linear or branched alkyl group of C? _4- Note that R may be any combination of H and members of the linear or branched alkyl group of C ^ _4 within an individual - (CHR13) X group. These types of molecules result from the addition of a carboxyl group to a branched olefin, for example by the Koch reaction. Commercial examples include neodecanoic acid manufactured by Exxon and Versatic acids manufactured by Shell. In each of the above formulas A, B, C and D, the species can be any suitable counter ion, especially soluble in water eg H, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkanolammonium, di- and tri-alkanolammonium, ammonium substituted with C1-C5 alkyl and the like. Sodium is convenient as its diethanolammonium. Preferred secondary soaps for use herein are water-soluble members selected from the group consisting of water-soluble salts of 2-ethyl-1-undecanoic acid, 2-ethyl-1-decanoic acid, 2-propyl-1 acid -nonanoic acid, 2-butyl-1-octanoic acid; 2-pentyl-1-heptanoic acid; 2-methyl-l-dodecanoic acid; 2-ethyl-l-undecanoic acid; 2-propyl-1-decanoic acid; 2-butyl-l-nonanoic acid; 2-pentyl-1-octanoic acid and its mixtures. (11) Mixtures thereof. The anionic surfactants described in the above are all commercially available. It should be noted that although both of the dialkyl sulfosuccinates and the fatty acid ester sulfonates will function well at a neutral to slightly alkaline pH, they will not be chemically stable in a composition with a pH much greater than about 8.5. The compositions thereof may also contain an amide surfactant of the polyhydroxy fatty acid of the structural formula: RJ (I) R2 - C - N - Z wherein: R 1 is H, C 1 -C 4 hydrocarbyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl or a mixture thereof, preferably C 1 -C 4 alkyl, more preferably C 1 or C alkyl, more preferably alkyl of C ^ (ie, methyl); and R2 is a C5-C31 hydrocarbyl, preferably straight chain C7-C19 alkyl or alkenyl, more preferably straight chain C9-C17 alkyl or alkenyl, more preferably straight chain C11-C17 alkyl or alkenyl or their mixtures; Z is a polyhydroxyhydrocarbyl having a linear hydrocarbyl chain with at least 3 hydroxyls directly attached to the chain or an alkoxylated derivative (preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated) thereof. Z will preferably be derived from a reducing sugar in a reductive amination reaction; more preferably Z is a glycityl. Suitable reducing sugars include glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose and xylose. As raw materials, high dextrose corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and high maltose corn syrup, as well as the individual sugars listed above can be used. These corn syrups can produce a mixture of sugar components for Z. It should be understood that it does not mean that other suitable raw materials are excluded. Preferably Z will be selected from the group consisting of -CH2- (CHOH) n -CH2OH, -CH (CH2OH) - (CHOH) n_1-CH2OH, -CH2- (CHOH) 2 (CHOR ') (CHOH) -CH2OH, where n is an integer from 3 to 5, inclusive and R 'is H or a cyclic or aliphatic monosaccharide and its alkoxylated derivatives. More preferred are glycityls, where n is 4, particularly -CH2- (CHOH) 4-CH2OH. In Formula (I), R1 may be, for example, N-methyl, N-ethyl, N-propyl, N-isopropyl, N-butyl, N-2-hydroxyethyl or N-2-hydroxypropyl. R -CO-N < it can be, for example, cocamide, stearamide, oleamide, lauramide, myristamide, capricamide, palmitamide, ceboamide, etc. Z can be 1-deoxyglucityl, 2-deoxyfrucyl-tityl, 1-deoxymaltityl, 1-deoxylactityl, 1-deoxy-galactityl, 1-deoxyanityl, 1-deoxy-thiotriotityl, etc. Methods for making polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are known in the art. In general, they can be made by reacting an alkylamide with a reducing agent in a reduction of reductive amination to form corresponding N-alkyl polyhydroxyamine and then reacting the N-alkyl polyhydroxyamine with a fatty aliphatic ester or triglyceride in a condensation / amidation step to form the N-alkylamide product or N-polyhydroxigraous acid amide. Methods for preparing compositions containing polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are described, for example, in British Patent Specification 809,060, published February 18, 1959 by Thomas Hedley & Co., Ltd., U.S. Patent 2,965,576, issued December 20, 1960 to ER Wilson and U.S. Patent 2,703,798, Anthony M. Schwartz, issued March 8, 1955 and U.S. Patent 1,985,424, issued December 25, 1934 by Piggott, each of which is incorporated herein for reference. In a preferred process for producing N-alkyl or N-hydroxyalkyl, N-deoxy-glycidyl fatty acid amides, wherein the glycityl component is derived from glucose and the N-alkyl or N-hydroxyalkyl functionality is N-methyl, N-ethyl , N-propyl, N-butyl, N-hydroxyethyl or N-hydroxypropyl, the product is prepared by the reaction of N-alkyl- or N-hydroxyalkyl-glucamine with a fatty ester selected from fatty methyl esters, fatty esters and fatty triglycerides in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of trilithium phosphate, trisodium phosphate, tripotassium phosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, pentapotassium tripolyphosphate, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, disodium tartrate, dipotassium tartrate, sodium and potassium tartrate, trisodium citrate, tripotassium citrate, basic sodium silicates, basic potassium silicates, basic sodium aluminosilicates and basic potassium aluminosilicates and their mixtures. The amount of the catalyst is preferably from about 0.5 mole% to about 50 mole%, most preferably from about 2.0 mole% to about 10 mole% on a molar basis of N-alkyl or N-hydrixoalkyl-glucamine. The reaction is preferably carried out at a temperature of about 138 ° C to about 170 ° C normally for about 20 to about 90 minutes. When the triglycerides are used in the reaction mixture as the source of the fatty ester, the reaction is also preferably carried out using from about 1 to about 10% by weight of a phase transfer agent, calculated on a basis of percent by weight of the total reaction mixture, selected from polyethoxylates of saturated fatty alcohol, alkyl polyglycosides, linear glucamide surfactant and mixtures thereof.

Preferably, this process is carried out as follows: (a) preheating the fatty ester at about 138 ° C to about 170 ° C; (b) adding the N-alkyl or N-hydroxyalkyl glucamine to the heated fatty acid ester and mixing for the time necessary to form a liquid / liquid two phase mixture; (c) mixing the catalyst within the reaction mixture; and (d) stirring during the specified reaction time. Also, preferably from about 2% to about 20% of the preformed product of the N-linear alkyl amide / N-hydroxyalkyl, linear-fatty N-glucosyl is added to the reaction mixture, by weight of the reactants as the phase transfer agent, if the fatty ester is a triglyceride. This is sown to the reaction, so the reaction rate increases. These "polyhydroxy fatty acid" amide materials also offer the advantages for the detergent formulator, which can be prepared wholly or mainly from natural, renewable, non-petrochemical feedstocks and are degradable. They also have low toxicity to aquatic life. It should be recognized that together with the polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of Formula (I), the methods used to produce them will also normally produce amounts of non-volatile by-products such as stearamides and cyclic amide of the polyhydroxy fatty acid. At the level of these by-products, it will vary depending on the particular reagents and conditions of the procedure. Preferably, the polyhydroxy fatty acid amide incorporated in the detergent compositions will be provided in a form such that the composition containing the polyhydroxy fatty acid amide added to the detergent contains less than about 10%, preferably less than about 4% the cyclic polyhydroxy fatty acid amide. The preferred methods described in the foregoing are advantageous in that they can produce more low levels of by-products, including such by-product cyclic amide. Suitable nonionic detergent surfactants are generally described in Laughlin et al., US Patent 3,929,678, issued December 30, 1975 in column 13, line 14 to column 16, line 6, incorporated herein by reference. . Exemplary, non-limiting classes of useful non-ionic surfactants are listed in the following. 1. Condensates of polyethylene, polypropylene and polybutylene oxides of alkylphenols. In general, polyethylene oxide condensates are preferred. These compounds include the condensation products of alkylphenols having an alkyl group containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms either in a straight or branched chain configuration with the alkylene oxide. Commercially available nonionic surfactants of this type include Igepal1 ^ CO-630 sold by GAF Corporation; and Triton1 ^ X-45, X-114, X-100 and X-102 all sold by Rohm & Haas Company. 2. The condensation products of the aliphatic alcohols with about 1 to about 25 moles of ethylene oxide. The alkyl chain of the aliphatic alcohol can be either linear or branched, primary or secondary and usually contains from 8 to 22 carbon atoms. Particularly preferred are the condensation products of the alcohols having an alkyl group containing from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms with about 2 to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. 3. The condensation products of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol. The hydrophobic portion of these compounds, preferably has a molecular weight of about 1500 to about 1800 and exhibits insolubility in water. 4. The condensation products of ethylene oxide with the product resulting from the reaction of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine. 5. The alkylpolysaccharides described in the US Patent 4, 565,647, by Llenado, issued January 21, 1986 having a hydrophobic group containing from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms, preferably from about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms and a polysaccharide, for example a polyglycoside, a hydrophilic group containing from about 1.3 to about 10, preferably from about 1.3 to about 3, more preferably from about 1.3 to about 2.7 units of the saccharide. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,373,203 and 4,732,704, incorporated herein by reference, also describe acceptable surfactants. 6. The compositions of this invention may contain from about 5% to 95% by weight of the composition of a carboxylated alkylethyloxy preferably restricted in the levels of contaminants (ie, ethoxylated fatty alcohols and soap). For liquid compositions, preferably from about 8% to 50%, more preferably from about 8% to 40% by weight of the composition, of an alkyl ethoxycarboxylate surfactant. The gel compositions of this invention preferably contain from about 5% to about 70%, more preferably from about 10% to about 45%, most preferably from about 12% to about 35% by weight of the composition of this surfactant. The alkyl ethoxycarboxylate is of the generic formula RO (CH2CH2?) XCH2COO ~ M + in which R is an alkyl group of C ^ 2 to C16 'x is in the range of 0 to about 10 and the ethoxylate distribution is such that in a basis by weight, the amount of the material where x is 0 is less than about 20%, preferably less than about 15%, most preferably less than about 10%, and the amount of the material where x is greater than 7 is less about 25%, preferably less than about 15%, more preferably less than about 10%, the average of x is about 2 to 4 when the average of R is C13 or less and the average of x is about 3 to 6 when the average of R is greater than C13 and M is a cation, preferably chosen from alkali metal, ammonium, mono-, di- and tri-ethanolammonium, more preferably sodium, potassium, ammonium and mixtures thereof. Preferred alkyl ethoxycarboxylates are those wherein R is an alkyl group of C 12 to cii. Suitable processes for preparing alkyl ethoxycarboxylates are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,233,087, incorporated herein by reference. These nonionic surfactants are usually present at a concentration of from about 1% to about 15%, preferably from about 2% to about 10% by weight. Other suitable surfactants such as ampholytic surfactants may also be incorporated into the detergent compositions herein. These surfactants can be broadly described as aliphatic derivatives of secondary or tertiary amines or aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines in which the aliphatic radical can be straight-branched chains. One of the aliphatic substituents contains at least 8 carbon atoms, usually from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and at least one contains a water-soluble, anionic group eg carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate. See U.S. Patent No. 3,929,678 to Laughlin et al., Issued December 30, 1975 in column 19, line 18-35 (incorporated herein by reference) for examples of useful ampholytic surfactants. Alkylamphocarboxylic acids of the generic formula can be added: RC-NHCH2CH2Ri wherein R is an alkyl group of Q -C ^ Q and R¿ is of the general formula (CH2)? C00- (CH2)? C00 * / / N or N < +) - CH2CH2? H \ \ Rl R1 wherein R1 is (CH2) XC00M or CH2CH2OH, and x is 1 or 2 and M is preferably chosen from an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, mono-, di- and tri-ethanolammonium, more preferably sodium, potassium , ammonium and its mixtures with magnesium ions. The preferred alkyl R chain length is a C10 to C14 alkyl group. In a preferred embodiment, the amphocarboxylic acid is an amphodicarboxylic acid produced from fatty imidazolines, wherein the dicarboxylic acid functionality of the amphodicarboxylic acid is diacetic acid and / or dipropionic acid. A suitable example of an alkylalanodicarboxylic acid for use herein is the amphoteric Miranol.RTM. C2M Conc. Surfactant manufactured by Miranol, Inc., Dayton, NJ, having the general formula: O (CH2)? C00- I I / RC-NHCH2CH2N \ (CH2)? COM wherein R is an alkyl group of C3 to C ^ Q and x is 1 or 2 and M is a cation. Zwitterionic surfactants can also be incorporated into the prepellant detergent compositions. These surfactants can be broadly described as derivatives of secondary and tertiary amines, derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines, or derivatives of quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium or tertiary sulfonium compounds. See U.S. Patent No. 3,929,678 to Laughlin et al., Issued December 30, 1975 in column 19, line 38 to column 22, line 48 (incorporated herein by reference) for examples of useful zwitterionic surfactants. Such ampholytic and zwitterionic surfactants are generally used in combination with one or more anionic and / or nonionic surfactants.

If included in the compositions of the present invention, these additional surfactants are normally present in a concentration of from about 1% to about 15%, preferably from about 2% to about 10% by weight of the composition.

MAGNESIUM IONS The presence of magnesium ions (divalent), improves the cleaning of dirt or grease of the liquid or gel compositions for light work. This is especially true when the compositions are used in soft water containing few divalent ions. The amount of magnesium ions present in such compositions herein, are at a concentration of from about 0.1% to 4%, preferably from about 0.3% to 3.5%, more preferably from about 0.5% to 1% by weight. It has been found that the preparation of concentrated compositions containing magnesium ions, especially light duty liquid or dishwashing detergent compositions, can be improved by neutralizing the surfactant in magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide.

The additional magnesium ions can be added to the final product such as the chloride salt, acetate, formate, nitrate or their mixtures. The amount of the magnesium included in the final detergent products will depend on the amount of the total anionic surfactant present therein, including the amount of alkyl ethoxycarboxylates. When calcium ions are present in the compositions of this invention, the molar ratio of calcium ions to total anionic surfactant is from about 1:15 to about 1: 2 for the compositions of the invention.

WATER The compositions herein will normally contain up to about 45%, preferably from about 5% to about 45%, most preferably from about 20% to about 40% water.

SACRED The present invention consists of from about 0.1% to about 5.0%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 4.0% by weight of a mono- or di-saccharide. The periodic units of the saccharide can have as little as five carbon atoms or as many as fifty carbon atoms according to the solubility in water. The saccharide derivative can be an alcohol or an acid of the saccharide. By "soluble in water" in the present context it means that the sugar is capable of forming a clear solution or a stable colloidal dispersion in distilled water at room temperature at a concentration of 0.01 g / 1. Among the sugars which are useful in this invention are sucrose, which is more preferred for reasons of availability and cheap cost, cellobiose, lactulose, maltose (malt sugar) and lactose, which are disaccharides. Useful mono-saccharide derivatives include gluconic acid, glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose, ribose and mixtures thereof.

REINFORCER OF SOAPIC WATERS Another component that can be included in the composition of this invention is a surfactant to stabilize soapy water (booster of soapy water) at a concentration of less than about 15%, preferably from about 0.5% to 12%, more preferably from about 1% to 10% by weight of the composition. The surfactants that stabilize the optional soapy functional waters in the present composition are: sultaines, complex betaines, betaines, condensates of ethylene oxide, fatty acid amides, nonionic surfactants of semipolar amine oxide and cationic surfactants. The composition of this invention may contain betaine detergent surfactants having the general formula: R - N (+) (R1) 2 - R2COO (_) wherein R is a hydrophobic group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups containing from about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, preferably from about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms, alkylaryl and arylalkyl groups containing a similar number of carbon atoms with a benzene ring that is treated as equivalent for about 2 carbon atoms and similar structures interrupted by amido bonds or ether bonds; each R1 is an alkyl group containing from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and R2 is an alkylene group containing from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms. Examples of preferred betaines are dodecyldimethylbetaine, cetyldimethylbetaine, dodecyl-amidopropyldimethylbetaine, tetradecyldimethylbetaine, tetradecylamidopropyldimethylbetaine and dodecyldimethylammonium hexanoate. Other suitable amidoalkyl betaines are described in US Pat. Nos. 3,950,417; 4,137,191; and 4,375,421; and GB Patent No. 2,103,236, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. It will be recognized that the alkyl (and acyl) groups for the above betaine surfactants can be derived from either natural or synthetic sources, for example, they can be derived from naturally occurring fatty acids; olefins such as those prepared by Ziegler or the Oxo processes; or of olefins separated from oil with or without "fractionation". Condensates of ethylene oxide are broadly defined as compounds produced by the condensation of ethylene oxide groups (hydrophilic in nature) with an organic hydrophobic compound, which can be aliphatic or aromatic alkyl by nature. The length of the hydrophilic or polyoxyalkylene radical which is condensed with any particular hydrophobic group can be easily adjusted to produce a water-soluble compound having the desired balance between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements. Examples of such ethylene oxide condensates suitable as soapy water stabilizers are the condensation products of aliphatic alcohols with ethylene oxide. The alkyl chain of the aliphatic alcohol can be either linear or branched and usually contains from about 8 to about 18, preferably from about 8 to about 14, carbon atoms to function better as stabilizers of soapy waters, ethylene oxide which is present in amounts of about 8 moles to about 30, preferably about 8 to about 14 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of the alcohol. Examples of the amide surfactants useful herein, include ammonia, monoethanol and diethanolamines of fatty acids, having an acyl portion containing from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and represented by the general formula: Ri - CO - N (H) m -? (R2OH) 3 - m wherein R is an aliphatic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical having from about 7 to 21, preferably from about 11 to 17, carbon atoms; R represents a methylene or ethylene group; and m is 1, 2 or 3, preferably l. Specific examples of the amides are mono-ethanolamine amide coconut fatty acid and diethanolamine dodecyl fatty acid amide. These acyl portions can be derived from the naturally occurring glycerides, for example coconut oil, palm oil, soybean oil and bait, but can be derived synthetically, for example by oxidation of the oil or by hydrogenation of the carbon by the Fischer-Tropsch procedure. The monoethanolamides and diethanolamides of the C12-i4 fatty acids are preferred.

The semipolar nonionic amine oxide surfactants consist of the compounds and mixtures of compounds having the formula: R2 Rl (C2H4?) NN (+) 0-H R3 in which Ri is an alkyl, 2-hydroxyalkyl, 3-hydroxyalkyl or 3-alkoxy-2-hydroxypropyl radical, in which alkyl and alkoxy, respectively, contain from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are each methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, 2-hydroxyethyl, 2-hydroxypropyl or 3-hydroxypropyl and n is from 0 to about 10. Particularly preferred are the amine oxides of the formula: R2 I Rl - N (+)? (") I R3 where R ^ is an alkyl of C12-I6 R2 and R3 are methyl or ethyl The above condensates of ethylene oxide, amides and amine oxides are further described completely in U.S. Patent No. 4,316,824 (Pancheri), incorporated herein by reference The composition of this invention may also contain certain cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants of the formula: [R1 (OR2) and] [R3 (OR2) and] 2R4N + X " or amine surfactants of the formula: [R1 (OR2) and] [R3 (OR2) and] R4N wherein R1 is an alkyl or alkylbenzyl group having from about 6 to about 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain; each R2 is selected from the group consisting of -CH2CH2-, -CH2CH (CH3) -, -CH2CH (CH2OH) -, -CH2CH2CH2-, and mixtures thereof; each R 3 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl, benzyl and hydrogen when and is not 0; R4 is the same as R or is an alkyl chain in which the total number of carbon atoms of R1 plus R4 is from about 8 to about 16; each y is from 0 to approximately 10 and the sum of the values y is from 0 to approximately 15; and X is any compat anion. Preferred surfactants of the above surfactants are quaternary alkylammonium, especially the long-chain monoalkyl surfactants described in the above formula when R 4 is selected from the same groups as R 3. The most preferred quaternary ammonium surfactants are the alkyltrimethylammonium chloride, bromide and methylsulfate salts of c8-16 'salts of alkyldi (hydroxyethyl) methylammonium salts of Cß_? , alkylhydroxyethyldimethylammonium salts of Cs-16 'alkyloxypropyltrimethylammonium salts of Cg-id and alkyloxypropyl dihydroxyethylmethyl ammonium salts of 3? . Of the foregoing, the alkyltrimethylammonium salts of C] _o-i4 / eg, decyltrimethylammonium methylsulfate, lauryltrimethylammonium chloride, myristyltrimethylammonium bromide and cocotrimethylammonium chloride, and methyl sulfate are preferred. The sultaines useful in the present invention are those compounds having the formula (RI R1) 2N + R2S? 3 ~ in which R is a hydrocarbyl group of c6-c18 / preferably an alkyl group of? O_cl6 'most preferably a group Ci2_cl3 alkyl # each R1 is usually a C? -C3 alkyl, preferably methyl, and R2 is a C? ~C hydrocarbyl group, preferably C 1 -C 3 alkylene or preferably a hydroxyalkylene group. Examples of suitable sultaines include C12-C14 dimethylammonium-2-hydroxypropyl sulfonate, amidopropylammonium-2-hydroxypropylsultaine, C12-14 dihydroxyethylammoniumpropane, ci2-14 'sulfonate, and dimethylammoniumhexane sulfonate, C ^ Q-Q, the preferred Amidopropylammonium-2-hydroxypropylsultaine of Ci2-14- The complex betaines for use herein have the formula: R - (A) n - [N - (CHR1) x] y - N - Q (I) I I B B wherein R is a hydrocarbon group having from 7 to 22 carbon atoms, A is the group (C (0), n is 0 or 1, R] _ is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group, x is 2 or 3 , and is an integer from 0 to 4, Q is the group -R2COOM, wherein R is an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and M is hydrogen or an ion of the alkali metal groups, alkaline earth metals, ammonium and substituted ammonium, and B is hydrogen or a Q group as defined.An example in this category is glycolinate bait ampopolicarboxy of the formula: CH2C00Na CH2C00Na CH2C00N "CH2COON1 I I I R - N - CH2CH2CH2 - - CH2CH2CH2N - CH2CH2CH2N < CH2COOM * The soapy water boosters used in the compositions of this invention may contain any or a mixture of the soapy water boosters listed above.

PH OF THE COMPOSITION Preferably the composition of the present invention has a pH in a 10% solution in water at 20 ° C, between about 7 and about 11, more preferably between about 7.5 and about 10, more preferably from about 7.5 to about 8.5 . The compositions of the invention for washing dishes will be subjected to acid stresses created by the food residues when they are placed to be used, ie they are diluted and applied to the dirty dishes. If a composition with a pH higher than 7 is going to be more effective in improving the effectiveness, it must contain a buffering agent capable of maintaining the alkaline pH in the composition and in the diluted solutions, that is, from approximately 0.1% to 0.4% by weight of the aqueous solution of the composition. The pKa value of the buffering agent should be from about 0.5 to 1.0 pH units below the desired pH value of the composition (determined as described above). Preferably, the pKa value of the buffering agent should be between about 7 and about 9.5. Under these conditions, the buffer more effectively controls the pH, while using the smaller amount thereof. The buffering agent can be an active detergent by itself or it can be a low molecular weight organic or inorganic material which is used in this composition only to maintain an alkaline pH. Preferred buffers for the compositions of this invention are nitrogen-containing materials. Some examples are amino acids or lower alcoholamines such as mono-, di- and tri-ethanolamine. Other preferred nitrogen-containing buffering agents are 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, tris- (hydroxymethyl) -aminomethane (a.k.a. tris) and disodium glutamate. N-methyldiethanol-amine, 1,3-diamino-2-propanol, N, N'-tetramethyl-1,3-diamino-2-propanol, N, N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) glycine (a.k.a. bicine) and N-tris (hydroxymethyl) methylglycine (a.k.a. tricina) are also preferred. Mixtures of any of the above materials are acceptable. The buffer is present in the compositions of the invention at a concentration of from about 0.1% to 15%, preferably from about 1% to 10%, more preferably from about 2% to 8% by weight of the composition.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS In addition to the ingredients described in the foregoing, the compositions may contain other conventional ingredients suitable for use in liquid compositions or in dishwashing gel. Preferably, the magnesium or calcium ions are added as a chloride, acetate, formate or nitrate salt to the compositions containing an alkali metal or ammonium salt of the alkyl aluminum ethoxy carboxylate, more preferably the sodium salt, after the composition has been neutralized with a strong base. Optional ingredients include ethoxylated nonionic surfactants to promote drainage of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 4,316,824 to Pancheri (February 23, 1982), incorporated herein by reference. Alcohols, such as C1-C monohydric alcohols, and additional hydrotropes, such as toluene, xylene or calcium, sodium or potassium cumene sulfonate can be used in addition to water in order to achieve a stability and viscosity of the desired product phase. Preferably a mixture of water and a C1-C4 monohydric alcohol (for example, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol and mixtures thereof), with ethanol being the preferred alcohol. Alcohols and / or hydrotropes are present at a level of from 0% to about 15%, preferably from about 0.1% to 10%. The viscosity should be greater than about 100 centipoise, more preferably more than 150 centipoise, more preferably more than about 200 centipoise for consumer acceptance.

The gel compositions of the invention would not normally contain the alcohols. These gel compositions may contain conventional urea and thickeners at concentrations of about 10% to about 30% as gelling agents. Other advantageous ingredients include diluents and solvents. The diluents may be inorganic salts, such as ammonium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, etc., and the solvents include water, lower molecular weight alcohols, such as ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, etc. As used herein, all percentages, parts and proportions are by weight unless otherwise stated. The following Examples illustrate the invention and facilitate its understanding.

EXAMPLE I The following liquid detergent compositions are prepared according to the description set forth in the following. A paste comprising ethanol is formed and the saccharide is mixed.

COMPONENTS % By Weight Diethylenetriamine Pentaacetate 0.06 0.06 Ethanol 9.15 9.15 Magnesium hydroxide 2.18 2.18 Sucrose 1.50 1.50 Amide of polyhydroxy fatty acid 6.50 6.50 Amine oxide 3.00 3.00 Cocoamidopropylbetaine 2.00 2.00 alkyl ethoxysulfate 34.14 34.14 Sodium hydroxide 1.13 1.13 Calcium Xylene sulfonate 3.59 2.05 Calcium chloride 0.00 0.53 Perfume 0.23 0.23 Water Res! T? EXAMPLE II The following light duty liquid compositions of the present invention are prepared as set forth above, wherein the surfactant is acid added to a seat consisting of ethanol, hydrotrope, magnesium hydroxide and sucrose. The pH of the mixture is adjusted with sodium hydroxide.

Component% by weight A B Citric acid 0.05 0.00 Sodium toluenesulfonate 3.00 0.00 Ethanol 5.50 0.00 Alkyl of Ci2-i3 ~ sodium ethoxysulfate (1.0 average) 31.00 24.00 Alkyl of sodium Ci2-i3_-ethoxysulfate (3.0 average) 8.00 7.00 Amine oxide 2.00 2.00 N-methylglucamide of C12 alkyl and magnesium chloride 9.00 12.00 Magnesium chloride hexahydrate 0.90 1.84 Hydrogen chloride 2.00 0.00 Perfume 0.90 0.18 Sucrose 2.00 1.00 Calcium Chloride 0.00 0.15 Sodium Cumensulfonate 0.00 4.0 Cg.n-Polyethoxylate Alcohol (9.0) 0.00 5.0 Water, for balance - Rest pH = 7.1 in 10%

Claims (13)

M3VEDAD DE LA INVENCIÓN CLAIMS

1. A liquid or light duty gel composition characterized in that it comprises by weight: a) from about 20% to about 95% of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant and mixtures thereof; b) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% magnesium ions; c) from about 0.1% to about 5.0% sugar selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides and disaccharides; and d) from about 5% to about 45% water; wherein the composition has a pH in a 10% solution in water at 20 ° C of between about 7 and about 11.

2. A composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises from about 30% to about 75% of surfactant.

3. A composition according to claim 2, characterized in that the sugar is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, maltose (malt sugar), cellobiose, lactose, lactulose, gluconic acid, glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose, ribose and its mixtures

4. A composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfate; alkyl ether sulfate; polyether carboxylate; secondary olefin sulfonates; sarcosinates; methyl ester sulfonates; alkyl glycerol ether sulfonate; polyethylene; condensate of polypropylene oxide and polybutylene of alkylphenols; alkyl ethoxylate, products of the condensation of aliphatic alcohols with ethylene oxide, the products of the condensation of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobic base formed by the condensation of propylene oxide with propylene glycol; the condensation product of ethylene oxide and ethylenediamine; alkylpolysaccharides; fatty acid amides; alkyl ethoxycarboxylates; amides of the polyhydroxy fatty acid and mixtures thereof.

5. A composition according to claim 4, characterized in that the magnesium ions are added to the composition as a salt selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, chloride, acetate, nitrate, formate and mixtures thereof.

6. A composition according to claim 4, further characterized in that it comprises from about 0.5% to about 4.0% sugar.

7. A composition according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises from about 0.1% to about 4% calcium ions.

8. A composition according to claim 7, characterized in that the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfate, alkyl ether, polyether carboxylate, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkyl ethoxycarboxylates, alkyl ethoxylate, products of alcohol condensation. aliphatic with ethylene oxide, special soaps and their mixtures.

9. A composition according to claim 8, further characterized in that it comprises less than about 15% of a soapy water enhancer, selected from the group consisting of betaines, sultaines, complex betaines, ethylene oxide condensates, fatty acid amides , cationic surfactants, semi-polar non-ionic amine oxide and mixtures thereof. A liquid, light duty, dishwashing detergent composition characterized in that it comprises by weight: a) from about 30% to about 75% surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof, b) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% of magnesium ions added as a surfactant neutralized with magnesium hydroxide or chloride or mixtures thereof; c) from about 0.5% to about 4.0% sugar selected from the group consisting of sucrose, maltose (malt sugar), lactose, gluconic acid, glucose, fructose and their mixtures; d) from about 0.1% to about 4.0% of added calcium ions as a salt selected from the group consisting of xylene sulfonate, chloride, formate and mixtures thereof; e) from about 20% to about 40% water; and f) from about 0.5 to about 12% of a soapy water enhancer, selected from the group consisting of betaines, fatty acid amides, semipolar nonionic amine oxide surfactants and mixtures thereof, wherein the composition has a pH in a 10% solution in water at 20 ° C of between about 7 and about 8.5. 11. A composition according to claim 10, characterized in that the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl ethoxycarboxylates, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkyl ether sulphates, special soaps and mixtures thereof. 12. A composition according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises from about 0.3% to about 3.5% magnesium ions added as a salt selected from the group consisting of alkyl ethoxysulfate and chloride. 13. A method for providing stable concentrated compositions, characterized in that it comprises one or more anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant or mixtures thereof, magnesium ions and sugar. In testimony of which the former in this city of Mexico, D.F. on the 29th day of the month of August 1994. MAL / mep