WO2024078776A1

WO2024078776A1 - Sophorolipid surfactants with surface-active countercations

Info

Publication number: WO2024078776A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/072365
Authority: WO
Inventors: Janine BIRNBACH; Peter Schmiedel; Cara KOHLER
Original assignee: Henkel Ag & Co. Kgaa
Priority date: 2022-10-14
Filing date: 2023-08-14
Publication date: 2024-04-18
Also published as: DE102022210849A1

Abstract

The intention was to provide washing- and cleaning-active ingredients that enable the production of visually appealing, concentrated, free-flowing washing, cleaning and hair treatment product formulations and are producible in a simple and efficient manner, have good storability and have the particular feature of good washing and cleaning outcomes. This was achieved by compounds of the general formula (I) S-CO₂- N+(R¹R²R³R⁴) (I) in which S-CO₂- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and R¹ is selected from R² and H, R² is selected from C₁- to C₄-alkyl radicals and C₂- to C₄-hydroxyalkyl radicals, R³ is selected from R⁴ and R², and R⁴ is selected from C₁₀- to C₁₈-alkyl radicals, C₇- to C₂₀-alkylaryl radicals, -R⁵-O(C=O)-R⁶ radicals and -R⁵-NH(C=O)-R⁶ radicals, where R⁵ is selected from the C₂- to C₄-alkylene radicals and R⁶ from the C₁₀- to C₁₈-alkyl radicals, and the alkyl moieties in each of R¹, R² <sb />, R³, R⁴ and R⁶ may be linear or branched.

Description

Sophorolipid surfactants with surface-active countercations

The present invention relates to a detergent compound. The application also relates to washing, cleaning and hair treatment agents which contain this detergent compound, as well as washing, cleaning and hair treatment methods using the detergent compound.

The packaging and delivery of washing, cleaning and hair treatment products is subject to constantly changing requirements. One trend relevant to the production of such products is their concentration. In addition to greater consumer acceptance due to easier handling, the background to this development is particularly sustainability aspects, for example in relation to transport volumes and costs and the amount of packaging used.

The concentration of modern washing, cleaning and hair treatment products, especially modern liquid detergents, generally influences their optical and rheological properties, has an impact on the storage stability of these products and can influence their cleaning performance, especially if the high concentration of the active ingredients leads to intolerances.

In addition, the concentration of liquid agents is usually accompanied by the use of organic solvents. These solvents improve the physical stability of washing, cleaning and hair treatment agents, but are often characterized by only a low washing or cleaning activity, which is why they should be added in the smallest possible quantities, not least for sustainability reasons. However, the use of aqueous or aqueous-organic solvent systems in the production of concentrated liquid agents has so far been unavoidable with the conventional washing or cleaning active ingredients.

From the patent application EP 0 499 434 A1, detergents are known which contain a surfactant forming a micellar phase and another surfactant forming a lamellar phase, whereby at least one of these two surfactants must be a glycolipid biosurfactant, in particular a rhamnolipid, glucose lipid, sophorolipid, trehalose lipid and/or cellobiose lipid. The European patent application EP 1 445 302 A1 relates to detergents which contain at least one glycolipid biosurfactant, in particular sophorolipid and/or rhamnolipid, and at least one non-glycolipid surfactant, whereby these are in a micellar phase. From the European patent application EP 3 686 265 A1, liquid aqueous detergents are known which contain anionic surfactant of the sulfate or sulfonate type, soap, nonionic surfactant, enzyme and sophorolipid. The European Patent application EP 3 290 501 A1 relates to agents containing alkoxylated fatty acid amide and a glycolipid biosurfactant, which may be a sophorolipid.

The object of the present invention was to provide washing and cleaning active ingredients which enable the production of visually appealing, concentrated, flowable washing, cleaning and hair treatment preparations. The active ingredients should be easy and efficient to produce, have good storage properties and, in particular, be characterized by good washing and cleaning results.

This task was solved by a new class of surfactant active ingredients.

A first subject matter of the invention is a compound of the general formula (I)

S-CO ₂ - N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in which

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from C 1 -C 4 alkyl radicals and C 2 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C 10 -C 18 alkyl radicals, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C 2 -C 4 alkylene radicals and R ^e is selected from the C 10 -C 18 alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain.

Surprisingly, it was found that the neutralization of sophorolipids with tertiary amines or the cation exchange of the metal cations of sophorolipid metal salts by quaternary ammonium cations leads to surface-active compounds whose washing performance is superior to that of sophorolipids or sophorolipid metal salts. The surfactants obtained in this way are suitable for the production of washing, cleaning and hair treatment agents, for example for the production of solvent-free liquid agents with active ingredient contents of up to 100% by weight. In contrast to some other anionic surfactant-cationic surfactant combinations, the substances essential to the invention do not form poorly or insoluble precipitates.

Sophorolipids consist of a sophorose residue in which two glucose molecules are linked together in a ß-1,2'-glycosidic manner, to which a hydroxyl group of a hydroxycarboxylic acid is linked in a ß-glycosidic manner. The hydroxycarboxylic acid can have the hydroxyl group at the terminal C atom or at a C atom located inside the carbon chain, and can be saturated or unsaturated. Examples of sophorolipids are:

They can be in the open form shown above as an example or in the form of monomeric or dimeric lactones, such as:

The open form and the lactone form can also exist side by side, and both can be converted into one another by intramolecular esterification or hydrolysis. In the compounds of formula (I), the sophorolipids are present in the open form. The hydroxyl groups on the sophorose residues of the sophorolipids can also be esterified, either completely or partially, with acetic acid being a possible carboxylic acid, for example, and the primary hydroxyl groups being the primary esterification points. Sophorolipids are formed, for example, by yeasts such as Candida albicans, Candida apicola, Candida floricola, Candida kuoi, Candida riodocensis, Candida stellata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Rhodotorula bajevae, Rhodotorula bogoriensis, Wickerhamiella domercqiae, Wickerhamomyces anomalus and Starmerella bombicola, and can be obtained from the fermentation of such microorganisms.

In one embodiment of the invention, in the cations N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) of the compounds of the general formula (I), preferably two to three, in particular three of the four radicals have a C chain length of at most 4, in particular from 1 to 2. The remaining radical or the other two radicals have a longer carbon chain.

The compounds of general formula (I) have a relatively low surface tension, which is normally in the range of 30 mN/m to 40 mN/m, and a relatively low critical micellar concentration, which is normally in the range of 0.001 mmol/l to 0.02 mmol/l. They are readily soluble in water. A further advantage of the compounds of general formula (I) is that they produce a stable foam in aqueous solution, which can also be produced in a continuously increasing amount over time for at least 2 minutes.

The invention further relates to mixtures of compounds of the general formula (I) with sophorolipids which do not have an ammonium countercation essential to the invention, but are present in the form of the free acid or its alkali salts, or which are present in the lactone form, and mixtures of compounds of the general formula (I) with salts which contain cations which correspond to N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) in formula (I), but have a different counteranion, for example a halide. It is possible, although less preferred, for the mixtures to contain both sophorolipids without a countercation defined in the general formula (I) and ammonium cations without a sophorolipid carboxylate anion defined in the formula (I). The mixtures mentioned in this paragraph contain the a) compound of the general formula (I) and b) the sophorolipid not defined in the general formula (I) and/or the cation not defined in the general formula (I), preferably in weight ratios of a) to b) in the range from 1:100 to 100:1, in particular from 100:1 to 50:50.

As stated at the beginning, the compounds of the general formula (I) are particularly suitable as components of washing, cleaning or hair treatment agents, in particular liquid washing, cleaning or hair treatment agents, due to their physical properties. Due to their high washing or cleaning power, the amount of surfactant in such agents can be reduced while maintaining the same performance, or a smaller amount of the agent is required to achieve a good washing or cleaning result. A cleaning or hair treatment agent containing a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture defined in the previous paragraph is therefore a further subject of the invention.

A detergent is a composition which is suitable for cleaning or caring for textiles and contains at least one textile cleaning or textile care active ingredient. Examples of textile cleaning active ingredients are surfactants, in particular non-ionic and anionic surfactants, and builders such as phosphonates or water-softening polymers. Examples of textile care active ingredients are fragrances, in particular encapsulated fragrances, textile softeners, in particular cationic surfactants and cationic polymers, and dyes, in particular textile dyes.

Another subject of the invention is a process for washing textiles, in the course of which a compound of the general formula (I) or a detergent containing a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture according to the invention as defined above, is introduced into a washing liquor which contains a textile in need of cleaning or into which a textile in need of cleaning is introduced.

A cleaning agent is a composition that is suitable for cleaning and caring for hard surfaces and contains at least one surface-cleaning or surface-care active ingredient. Examples of surface-cleaning active ingredients are surfactants, in particular non-ionic and anionic surfactants, and builders such as phosphonates or water-softening polymers. Examples of surface-care active ingredients are corrosion inhibitors, such as zinc salts, and hydrophobic agents, in particular polymeric hydrophobic agents.

A method for cleaning hard surfaces, in the course of which a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture according to the invention as defined above or a cleaning agent containing a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture according to the invention as defined above is introduced into a cleaning liquor which is brought into contact with the hard surface to be cleaned, is a further subject of the invention.

A hair treatment product is a composition that is suitable for cleaning and caring for hair, especially human hair. Hair treatment products include in particular hair cleaning products such as shampoos, hair care products such as hair treatments, conditioners or hair care sprays, and hair styling products such as hair gels, hair sprays or hair waxes. The hair treatment product is preferably a shampoo or a hair care product.

A method for treating hair, in the course of which a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture according to the invention as defined above or a hair treatment agent containing a compound of the general formula (I) or a mixture according to the invention as defined above is applied to wet hair in particular, is a further subject of the invention. If the hair treatment agent is a shampoo, a hair conditioner or a hair treatment, it is preferably left to act on the hair for at least 5 seconds, preferably for a period of 5 seconds to 5 minutes, and then rinsed out with water.

A washing, cleaning or hair treatment agent according to the invention preferably contains 0.1% by weight to 40% by weight, in particular 0.2% by weight to 30% by weight and particularly preferably 0.5% by weight to 15% by weight of the compound of the general formula (I) or the mixture according to the invention defined above. In addition to the compound of the general formula (I) or the mixture mentioned, it can also contain other conventional components of such agents. In the manufacture of washing, cleaning and hair treatment agents, the compound of general formula (I) can be produced by combining sophorolipid and cationic surfactant having a cation N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) defined for the compound of general formula (I).

In the context of the present invention, a washing or cleaning agent preferably contains, in addition to the compound of the general formula (I) or the above-defined mixture according to the invention, one or more substances from the group of nonionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, builders, bleaches, bleach activators, enzymes, electrolytes, pH adjusters, perfumes, perfume carriers, fluorescent agents, dyes, hydrotopes, foam inhibitors, antiredeposition agents, graying inhibitors, shrinkage inhibitors, anti-crease agents, color transfer inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, non-aqueous solvents, germicides, fungicides, antioxidants, preservatives, corrosion inhibitors, antistatic agents, bitter agents, ironing aids, phobic and impregnating agents, skin-care agents, swelling and anti-slip agents, softening components and UV absorbers.

In the context of the present invention, a hair treatment agent preferably contains, in addition to the compound of the general formula (I) or the above-defined mixture according to the invention, one or more substances from the group of non-ionic surfactants, amphoteric/zwitterionic surfactants, non-ionic polymers, anionic polymers, amino acids, oligopeptides, vitamins, provitamins, vitamin precursors, betaines, bioquinones, purine (derivatives), taurine (derivatives), L-carnitine (salts), panthenol, pantothenic acid, 2-furanones, 2-furanone derivatives, ectoine, allantoin, plant extracts, ester oils, UV light protection filters, structuring agents, thickeners, electrolytes, pH adjusters, swelling agents, dyes, anti-dandruff active ingredients, complexing agents, opacifiers, pearlescent agents, pigments, stabilizers, propellants, antioxidants, perfume oils, and/or preservatives.

A washing, cleaning or hair treatment agent according to the invention can preferably contain up to 30% by weight of additional surfactant, wherein the additional surfactants are preferably also obtainable from renewable raw materials. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the agent contains up to 20% by weight, in particular 0.5% by weight to 15% by weight, of non-ionic surfactant.

Suitable nonionic surfactants include alkoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid amides, alkoxylated fatty acid amides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers, amine oxides, alkyl polyglycosides and mixtures thereof. In addition, alkyl glycosides of the general formula R ⁵ O(G) _X can also be used as further nonionic surfactants, in which R ⁵ corresponds to a primary straight-chain or methyl-branched, in particular methyl-branched in the 2-position, aliphatic radical with 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 C atoms and G is the symbol which stands for a glycose unit with 5 or 6 C atoms, preferably glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, the indicates the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10; preferably x is 1.2 to 1.4.

Another class of nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other additional nonionic surfactants, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters, preferably with 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

Non-ionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example N-coconut alkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alkyl-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and fatty acid alkanolamides can also be used.

Other suitable surfactants are polyhydroxy fatty acid amides of the formula

in which R is an aliphatic acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R ¹ is hydrogen, an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and [Z] is a linear or branched polyhydroxyalkyl radical having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and 3 to 10 hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy fatty acid amides are known substances which can usually be obtained by reductive amination of a reducing sugar with ammonia, an alkylamine or an alkanolamine and subsequent acylation with a fatty acid, a fatty acid alkyl ester or a fatty acid chloride. The group of polyhydroxy fatty acid amides also includes compounds of the formula

in which R is a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl radical having 7 to 12 carbon atoms, R ¹ is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms and R ² is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl radical or an aryl radical or an oxyalkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, with C 1 -C 4 alkyl or phenyl radicals being preferred and [Z] is a linear polyhydroxyalkyl radical whose alkyl chain is substituted by at least two hydroxyl groups, or alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or propoxylated derivatives of this radical. [Z] is preferably obtained by reductive amination of a reduced sugar, for example glucose, fructose, maltose, lactose, galactose, mannose or xylose. The N-alkoxy- or N-aryloxy-substituted compounds can be prepared by reaction with fatty acid me- ethyl esters are converted into the desired polyhydroxy fatty acid amides in the presence of an alkoxide as a catalyst.

A washing or cleaning agent according to the invention preferably contains at least one water-soluble and/or water-insoluble, organic and/or inorganic builder. The water-soluble organic builder substances include polycarboxylic acids, in particular citric acid and sugar acids, monomeric and polymeric aminopolycarboxylic acids, in particular glycinediacetic acid, methylglycinediacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, iminodisuccinates such as ethylenediamine-N,N'-disuccinic acid and hydroxyiminodisuccinates, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and polyaspartic acid, polyphosphonic acids, in particular aminotris(methylenephosphonic acid), ethylenediaminetetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid), lysinetetra(methylenephosphonic acid) and 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid, polymeric hydroxy compounds such as dextrin and polymeric (poly)carboxylic acids, in particular polycarboxylates accessible by oxidation of polysaccharides, polymeric acrylic acids, methacrylic acids, maleic acids and copolymers of these, which may also contain small amounts of polymerizable substances without carboxylic acid functionality polymerized in. The relative average molecular mass of the homopolymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids is generally between 5,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, that of the copolymers between 2,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, preferably 50,000 g/mol to 120,000 g/mol, in each case based on the free acid. A particularly preferred acrylic acid-maleic acid copolymer has a relative average molecular mass of 50,000 to 100,000. Suitable, although less preferred, compounds of this class are copolymers of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with vinyl ethers, such as vinyl methyl ethers, vinyl esters, ethylene, propylene and styrene, in which the proportion of acid is at least 50% by weight. Terpolymers which contain two unsaturated acids and/or their salts as monomers and vinyl alcohol and/or a vinyl alcohol derivative or a carbohydrate as the third monomer can also be used as water-soluble organic builder substances. The first acidic monomer or its salt is derived from a monoethylenically unsaturated Cs-Cs carboxylic acid and preferably from a C3-C4 monocarboxylic acid, in particular from (meth)acrylic acid. The second acidic monomer or its salt can be a derivative of a C4-Cs dicarboxylic acid, with maleic acid being particularly preferred. The third monomeric unit is in this case formed from vinyl alcohol and/or preferably an esterified vinyl alcohol. Vinyl alcohol derivatives which are an ester of short-chain carboxylic acids, for example of C1-C4 carboxylic acids, with vinyl alcohol are particularly preferred. Preferred polymers contain 60% by weight to 95% by weight, in particular 70% by weight to 90% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate, particularly preferably acrylic acid or acrylate, and maleic acid or maleate, as well as 5% by weight to 40% by weight, preferably 10% by weight to 30% by weight of vinyl alcohol and/or vinyl acetate. Very particular preference is given to polymers in which the weight ratio of (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate to maleic acid or maleate is between 1:1 and 4:1, preferably between 2:1 and 3:1 and in particular 2:1 and 2.5:1. Both the amounts and the weight ratios are based on the acids. The second The acidic monomer or its salt can also be a derivative of an allylsulfonic acid which is substituted in the 2-position with an alkyl radical, preferably with a Ci-C4-alkyl radical, or an aromatic radical, which is preferably derived from benzene or benzene derivatives. Preferred terpolymers contain 40% to 60% by weight, in particular 45 to 55% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid or (meth)acrylate, particularly preferably acrylic acid or acrylate, 10% to 30% by weight, preferably 15% to 25% by weight of methallylsulfonic acid or methallylsulfonate and, as a third monomer, 15% to 40% by weight, preferably 20% to 40% by weight of a carbohydrate. This carbohydrate can be, for example, a mono-, di-, oligo- or polysaccharide, with mono-, di- or oligosaccharides being preferred. Sucrose is particularly preferred. The use of the third monomer presumably creates predetermined breaking points in the polymer, which are responsible for the polymer's good biodegradability. These terpolymers generally have a relative average molecular mass of between 1,000 g/mol and 200,000 g/mol, preferably between 200 g/mol and 50,000 g/mol. Other preferred copolymers are those that have acrolein and acrylic acid/acrylic acid salts or vinyl acetate as monomers. The organic builder substances can be used in the form of aqueous solutions, preferably in the form of 30 to 50 percent by weight aqueous solutions, particularly for producing liquid agents. All of the acids mentioned are generally used in the form of their water-soluble salts, particularly their alkali salts.

Such organic builder substances can, if desired, be present in amounts of up to 40% by weight, in particular up to 25% by weight and preferably from 1% by weight to 8% by weight. Amounts in the upper half of the ranges mentioned are preferably used in paste-like or liquid, in particular water-containing, washing or cleaning agents.

Polyphosphates, preferably sodium triphosphate, are particularly suitable as water-soluble inorganic builder materials. Crystalline or amorphous, water-dispersible alkali aluminosilicates are particularly used as water-insoluble inorganic builder materials, in amounts of not more than 25% by weight, preferably from 3% by weight to 20% by weight and in particular in amounts of from 5% by weight to 15% by weight. Among these, crystalline sodium aluminosilicates in detergent quality, in particular zeolite A, zeolite P and zeolite MAP and optionally zeolite X, are preferred. Amounts close to the upper limit mentioned are preferably used in solid, particulate agents. Suitable aluminosilicates in particular have no particles with a grain size of more than 30 pm and preferably consist of at least 80% by weight of particles with a size of less than 10 pm. Their calcium binding capacity is generally in the range from 100 to 200 mg CaO per gram.

In addition to or as an alternative to the water-insoluble aluminosilicate and alkali carbonate mentioned above, other water-soluble inorganic builder materials may be included. In addition to polyphosphates such as sodium triphosphate, these include in particular the water-soluble crystalline and/or amorphous alkali silicate builder. Such water-soluble inorganic builder materials are preferably contained in the agents in amounts of 1 wt.% to 20 wt.%, in particular 5 wt.% to 15 wt.%. The alkali silicates that can be used as builder materials preferably have a molar ratio of alkali oxide to SiO2 of less than 0.95, in particular 1:1.1 to 1:12, and can be amorphous or crystalline. Preferred alkali silicates are the sodium silicates, in particular the amorphous sodium silicates, with a molar ratio Na2O:SiO2 of 1:2 to 1:2.8. Crystalline silicates which can be present alone or in a mixture with amorphous silicates are preferably crystalline layered silicates of the general formula Na2Si _x O2x+iy H2O, in which x, the so-called modulus, is a number from 1.9 to 4 and y is a number from 0 to 20 and preferred values for x are 2, 3 or 4. Preferred crystalline layered silicates are those in which x in the general formula mentioned assumes the values 2 or 3. In particular, both ß- and 5-sodium disilicates (Na2Si2Os y H2O) are preferred. Virtually anhydrous crystalline alkali silicates made from amorphous alkali silicates of the above general formula, in which x is a number from 1.9 to 2.1, can also be used in the agents. In a further preferred embodiment, a crystalline sodium layer silicate with a modulus of 2 to 3 is used, as can be produced from sand and soda. Sodium silicates with a modulus in the range of 1.9 to 3.5 are used in a further embodiment. In a preferred embodiment of such agents, a granular compound of alkali silicate and alkali carbonate is used, as is commercially available, for example, under the name Nabion® 15.

Peroxidic bleaching agents suitable for use in washing and cleaning agents include, in particular, organic peracids or peracidic salts of organic acids, such as phthalimidopercaproic acid, perbenzoic acid, monoperoxyphthalic acid and diperdodecanedioic acid, and their salts such as magnesium monoperoxyphthalate, diacyl peroxides, hydrogen peroxide and inorganic salts which release hydrogen peroxide under the conditions of use, such as alkali perborate, alkali percarbonate and/or alkali persilicate, and hydrogen peroxide inclusion compounds such as H2G2-urea adducts, and mixtures thereof. Hydrogen peroxide can also be produced using an enzymatic system, i.e. an oxidase and its substrate. If solid peroxygen compounds are to be used, these can be used in the form of powders or granules, which can also be coated in a manner known in principle. Alkali percarbonate, alkali perborate monohydrate or hydrogen peroxide are particularly preferred. A detergent that can be used in the context of the invention contains peroxidic bleach in amounts of preferably up to 60% by weight, in particular from 5% by weight to 50% by weight and particularly preferably from 15% by weight to 30% by weight or alternatively from 2.5% by weight to 20% by weight, with hydrogen peroxide being the particularly preferred peroxidic bleach in liquid agents and sodium percarbonate being the particularly preferred peroxidic bleach in solid agents. Peroxidic bleach particles preferably have a particle size in the range from 10 pm to 5000 pm, in particular from 50 pm to 1000 pm and/or a density of 0.85 g/cm ³ to 4.9 g/cm ³ , in particular from 0.91 g/cm ³ to 2.7 g/cm ³ . Compounds which can be used in particular as bleach-activating compounds which yield peroxocarboxylic acid under perhydrolysis conditions are compounds which yield optionally substituted perbenzoic acid and/or aliphatic peroxocarboxylic acids having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, in particular 2 to 4 carbon atoms, alone or in mixtures. Suitable bleach activators are those which carry O- and/or N-acyl groups, in particular of the stated number of carbon atoms, and/or optionally substituted benzoyl groups. Preference is given to multiply acylated alkylenediamines, in particular tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), acylated glycolurils, in particular tetraacetylglycoluril (TAGU), acylated triazine derivatives, in particular 1,5-diacetyl-2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DADHT), N-acylimides, in particular N-nonanoylsuccinimide (NOSI), acylated phenolsulfonates or carboxylates or the sulfonic or carboxylic acids thereof, in particular nonanoyl or isononanoyl or lauroyloxybenzenesulfonate (NOBS or iso-NOBS or LOBS) or decanoyloxybenzoate (DOBA), their formal carbonic acid ester derivatives such as 4-(2-decanoyloxyethoxycarbonyloxy)benzenesulfonate (DECOBS), acylated polyhydric alcohols, in particular triacetin, ethylene glycol diacetate and 2,5-Di-acetoxy-2,5-dihydrofuran as well as acetylated sorbitol and mannitol and mixtures thereof (SORMAN), acylated sugar derivatives, in particular pentaacetylglucose (PAG), pentaacetylfructose, tetraacetylxylose and octaacetyllactose, acetylated, optionally N-alkylated glucamine and gluconolactone, and/or N-acylated lactams, for example N-benzoylcaprolactam.

In addition to the compounds which form peroxocarboxylic acids under perhydrolysis conditions, or in their place, other bleach-activating compounds such as nitriles from which perimidic acids are formed under perhydrolysis conditions may be present. These include in particular aminoacetonitrile derivatives with a quaternized nitrogen atom according to the formula

in which R ¹ is -H, -CH3, a C2-24 alkyl or alkenyl radical, a substituted C1-24 alkyl or C2-24 alkenyl radical with at least one substituent from the group -CI, -Br, -OH, -NH2, -CN and - N ⁽⁺⁾ -CH2-CN, an alkyl or alkenylaryl radical with a C1-24 alkyl group, or a substituted alkyl or alkenylaryl radical with at least one, preferably two, optionally substituted C1-24 alkyl group(s) and optionally further substituents on the aromatic ring, R ² and R ³ are independently selected from -CH2-CN, -CH3, -CH2-CH3, CH2-CH2-CH3, - CH(CH ₃ )-CH3,-CH2-OH, -CH2-CH2-OH, -CH(OH)-CH ₃ , -CH2-CH2-CH2-OH, -CH ₂ -CH(OH)-CH ₃ , - CH(OH)-CH2-CH3, -(CH ₂ CH ₂ -O) _n H with n = 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, R ⁴ and R ⁵ independently of one another have a meaning given above for R ¹ , R ² or R ³ , where at least 2 of the radicals mentioned, in particular R ² and R ³ , can also be linked to one another in a ring-closing manner including the nitrogen atom and optionally further heteroatoms and then preferably Bleach activators which form peroxocarboxylic acids or perimidic acids under perhydrolysis conditions are preferably present in amounts of up to 25% by weight, in particular 0.1% by weight to 10% by weight, in agents according to the invention. Bleach activator particles preferably have a particle size in the range from 10 pm to 5000 pm, in particular from 50 pm to 1000 pm and/or a density of from 0.85 g/cm ³ to 4.9 g/cm ³ , in particular from 0.91 g/cm ³ to 2.7 g/cm ³ .

The presence of bleach-catalyzing transition metal complexes, in addition to or instead of the bleach activators mentioned, is possible. These are preferably selected from among the cobalt, iron, copper, titanium, vanadium, manganese and ruthenium complexes. Both inorganic and organic compounds can be used as ligands in such transition metal complexes, which include, in addition to carboxylates, in particular compounds with primary, secondary and/or tertiary amine and/or alcohol functions, such as pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, 2,2'-bispyridylamine, tris-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane, 1,5,9-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododecane, (bis-((1-methylimidazol-2-yl)-methyl))-(2-pyridylmethyl)-amine, N,N'-(bis-(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)-methyl)-ethylenediamine, N-bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)-aminoethanol, 2,6-bis-(bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)-2-hydroxy-1,3-diaminopropane, 2,6-bis-(bis-(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol, 1,3-bis-(bis-(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)aminomethyl)-benzene, sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, adonitol, inositol, lactose, and optionally substituted salens, porphines and porphyrins. The inorganic neutral ligands include in particular ammonia and water. If not all coordination sites of the transition metal central atom are occupied by neutral ligands, the complex contains further, preferably anionic ligands, and among these in particular mono- or bidentate ligands. These include in particular the halides such as fluoride, chloride, bromide and iodide, and the (NO2) group, i.e. a nitro ligand or a nitrito ligand. The (NO2) group can also be bound to a transition metal in a chelate-forming manner or it can bridge two transition metal atoms asymmetrically or p1-O. In addition to the ligands mentioned, the transition metal complexes can also carry other, usually simpler ligands, in particular mono- or polyvalent anion ligands. Examples of possible ligands are nitrate, acetate, trifluoroacetate, formate, carbonate, citrate, oxalate, perchlorate and complex anions such as hexafluorophosphate. The anion ligands are intended to ensure charge balance between the transition metal central atom and the ligand system. The presence of oxo ligands, peroxo ligands and imino ligands is also possible. Such ligands in particular can also have a bridging effect, so that multinuclear complexes are formed. In the case of bridged, binuclear complexes, both metal atoms in the complex do not have to be the same. The use of binuclear complexes in which the two Transition metal central atoms have different oxidation numbers. If anion ligands are missing or the presence of anion ligands does not lead to charge equalization in the complex, anionic counterions are present in the transition metal complex compounds to be used according to the invention, which neutralize the cationic transition metal complex. These anionic counterions include in particular nitrate, hydroxide, hexafluorophosphate, sulfate, chlorate, perchlorate, the halides such as chloride or the anions of carboxylic acids such as formate, acetate, oxalate, benzoate or citrate. Examples of usable transition metal complex compounds are [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxy-5-vinylphenyl)-methylene]-1,2-diamino-cyclohexane]-manganese-(III) chloride, [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-methylene]-1,2-diamino-cyclohexane]-manganese-(III) acetate, [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxyphenyl)-methylene]-1,2-phenylenediamine]-manganese-(III) acetate, [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxyphenyl)-methylene]-1,2-diaminocyclohexane]-manganese-(III) chloride, [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxyphenyl)-methylene]-1,2-diaminoethane]-manganese-(III) chloride, [N,N'-bis[(2-hydroxy-5-sulfonato-phenyl)-methylene]-1,2-diaminoethane]-manganese-(III)-chloride, manganese oxalato complexes, nitropentammine-cobalt(III)-chloride, nitritopentammine-cobalt(III)-chloride, hexamminecobalt(III)-chloride, chloropentammine-cobalt(III)-chloride and the peroxo complex [(NH3)sCo-0-0-Co(NH3)5]Cl4.

Enzymes that can be used in washing and cleaning agents are those from the class of proteases, amylases, lipases, cutinases, pullulanases, hemicellulases, cellulases, oxidases, laccases and peroxidases and mixtures thereof. Enzymatic active substances obtained from fungi or bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus Lenaus, Streptomyces greises, Humicola lanuginosa, Humicola insolens, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas cepacia or Coprinus cinereus are particularly suitable. The enzymes can be adsorbed on carriers and/or embedded in coating substances in order to protect them against premature inactivation. They are preferably contained in the washing or cleaning agents according to the invention in amounts of up to 5% by weight, in particular from 0.002% by weight to 4% by weight. If the agent according to the invention contains protease, it preferably has a proteolytic activity in the range from about 100 PE/g to about 10,000 PE/g, in particular 300 PE/g to 8,000 PE/g. If several enzymes are to be used in the agent according to the invention, this can be done by incorporating two or more separate enzymes or enzymes prepared separately in a known manner or by two or more enzymes prepared together in a granulate.

To set a desired pH value that does not arise automatically from the mixture of the other components, the agents according to the invention can contain system- and environmentally compatible acids, in particular citric acid, acetic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, amino acids such as glycine, glutamic acid, arginine and/or aspartic acid, glycolic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, salicylic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid and/or adipic acid, but optionally also mineral acids, in particular sulfuric acid, or bases, in particular ammonium or alkali hydroxides. Such pH regulators are present in washing and Cleaning agents in amounts of preferably not more than 20% by weight, in particular from 1.2% by weight to 17% by weight. Organic acids are preferably used in hair treatment agents. Lactic acid and/or maleic acid are particularly preferably used as organic acids. The organic acids can be used to adjust the pH of the hair treatment agent, in particular to a value between 3.5 and 5. In a preferred embodiment, the hair treatment agent has a pH in the range from 3.75 to 4.75.

The purpose of graying inhibitors is to keep the dirt detached from textile fibers suspended in the liquor. Water-soluble colloids, usually of an organic nature, are suitable for this purpose, for example starch, glue, gelatin, salts of ether carboxylic acids or ether sulfonic acids of starch or cellulose, or salts of acidic sulfuric acid esters of cellulose or starch. Water-soluble polyamides containing acidic groups are also suitable for this purpose. Starch derivatives other than those mentioned above can also be used, for example aldehyde starches. Cellulose ethers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (Na salt), methyl cellulose, hydroxyalkyl cellulose and mixed ethers such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl carboxymethyl cellulose and mixtures thereof are preferred, for example in amounts of 0.1 to 5% by weight, based on the detergent.

Detergents can, if desired, contain a conventional dye transfer inhibitor, preferably in amounts of up to 2% by weight, in particular 0.1% by weight to 1% by weight, which in a preferred embodiment is selected from the polymers of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylimidazole, vinylpyridine-N-oxide or the copolymers thereof. Both polyvinylpyrrolidones with molecular weights of 15,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol and polyvinylpyrrolidones with higher molecular weights of, for example, up to over 1,000,000 g/mol, in particular from 1,500,000 g/mol to 4,000,000 g/mol, N-vinylimidazole/N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymers, polyvinyloxazolidones, copolymers based on vinyl monomers and carboxamides, polyesters and polyamides containing pyrrolidone groups, grafted polyamidoamines and polyethyleneimines, polyamine N-oxide polymers and polyvinyl alcohols can be used. Enzymatic systems comprising a peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide or a substance that provides hydrogen peroxide in water can also be used. The addition of a mediator compound for the peroxidase, for example an acetosyringone, a phenol derivative or a phenotiazine or phenoxazine, is preferred in this case, although the above-mentioned polymeric dye transfer inhibitor active ingredients can also be used in addition. Polyvinylpyrrolidone preferably has an average molar mass in the range from 10,000 g/mol to 60,000 g/mol, in particular in the range from 25,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol. Among the copolymers, those of vinylpyrrolidone and vinylimidazole in a molar ratio of 5:1 to 1:1 with an average molar mass in the range from 5,000 g/mol to 50,000 g/mol, in particular 10,000 g/mol to 20,000 g/mol, are preferred. In preferred embodiments, However, in the embodiments of the invention the detergents are free of such additional dye transfer inhibitors.

Detergents can contain, for example, derivatives of diaminostilbenedisulfonic acid or its alkali metal salts as optical brighteners, although they are preferably free of optical brighteners for use as color detergents. Suitable examples include salts of 4,4'-bis(2-anilino-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazinyl-6-amino)stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid or similarly structured compounds which carry a diethanolamino group, a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group instead of the morpholino group. Furthermore, brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may be present, for example the alkali salts of 4,4'-bis(2-sulfostyryl)-diphenyl, 4,4'-bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)-diphenyl, or 4-(4-chlorostyryl)-4'-(2-sulfostyryl)-diphenyl. Mixtures of the above-mentioned optical brighteners can also be used.

Particularly when used in mechanical processes, it can be advantageous to add conventional foam inhibitors to the detergents. Suitable foam inhibitors include, for example, soaps of natural or synthetic origin which have a high proportion of C18-C24 fatty acids. Suitable non-surfactant foam inhibitors are, for example, organopolysiloxanes and mixtures thereof with microfine, optionally silanized silica, as well as paraffins, waxes, microcrystalline waxes and mixtures thereof with silanized silica or bis-fatty acid alkylenediamides. Mixtures of different foam inhibitors are also advantageously used, for example those made from silicones, paraffins or waxes. The foam inhibitors, in particular silicone and/or paraffin-containing foam inhibitors, are preferably bound to a granular, water-soluble or water-dispersible carrier substance. Mixtures of paraffins and bis-stearylethylenediamide are particularly preferred.

In a preferred embodiment, a washing or cleaning agent according to the invention is particulate and contains, in addition to the surfactant essential to the invention, builder, in particular in an amount in the range of 1 wt.% to 60 wt.%.

In a further preferred embodiment, a washing or cleaning agent according to the invention is liquid and contains up to 90% by weight, in particular 10% by weight to 85% by weight, preferably 25% by weight to 75% by weight, and particularly preferably 35% by weight to 65% by weight of water, water-miscible solvent or a mixture of water and water-miscible solvent. Water-miscible solvents include, for example, monohydric alcohols with 1 to 4 C atoms, in particular methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and tert-butanol, diols and triols with 2 to 4 C atoms, in particular ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerin, and mixtures thereof and the ethers derivable from the above-mentioned classes of compounds. Such water-miscible solvents are preferably present in the washing or cleaning agents according to the invention in amounts not more than 30% by weight, in particular from 2% by weight to 20% by weight. A liquid washing or cleaning agent preferably has a pH of at least pH 5.6, in particular in the range from pH 7 to pH 9.

A hair treatment agent according to the invention is preferably liquid and contains an aqueous or an aqueous-alcoholic carrier. An aqueous carrier contains at least 50% by weight of water. Aqueous-alcoholic carriers are understood to mean aqueous solutions containing 3 to 70% by weight of a C2-C6 alcohol, in particular ethanol or propanol, isopropanol, butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, n-pentanol, isopentanols, n-hexanol, isohexanols, glycol, glycerin, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol or 1,6-hexanediol. The agents can additionally contain other organic solvents, such as methoxybutanol, benzyl alcohol, ethyl diglycol or 1,2-propylene glycol. Preference is given to all water-soluble organic solvents.

In a further preferred embodiment, an agent according to the invention is portioned ready for individual dosing in a chamber made of water-soluble material; the agent then preferably contains less than 15% by weight, in particular in the range of 1% by weight to 12% by weight, of water. A portion is an independent dosing unit with at least one chamber in which the product to be dosed is contained. A chamber is a space delimited by walls (for example by a film) which can also exist without the product to be dosed (possibly by changing its shape). A surface coating or a layer of a surface coating is therefore not a wall according to the present invention.

The walls of the chamber are made of a water-soluble material. The water solubility of the material can be determined using a square film of the material in question (film: 22 x 22 mm with a thickness of 76 pm) fixed in a square frame (edge length on the inside: 20 mm) according to the following measurement protocol. The framed film in question is immersed in 800 ml of distilled water heated to 20 °C in a 1 liter beaker with a circular bottom surface (Schott, Mainz, beaker 1000 ml, low form) so that the surface of the clamped film is arranged at a right angle to the bottom surface of the beaker, the upper edge of the frame is 1 cm below the water surface and the lower edge of the frame is aligned parallel to the bottom surface of the beaker in such a way that the lower edge of the frame runs along the radius of the bottom surface of the beaker and the center of the lower edge of the frame is arranged above the center of the radius of the bottom of the beaker. The material dissolves within 600 seconds when stirred (magnetic stirrer speed 300 rpm, stirring rod: 5 cm long) to such an extent that no individual solid particles are visible to the naked eye.

The walls of the chambers and thus the water-soluble coatings of the detergents according to the invention are preferably formed by a water-soluble film material. Such water- Water-soluble packaging can be produced either by vertical form-fill-seal processes or by thermoforming processes.

The thermoforming process generally includes forming a first layer of a water-soluble film material to form recesses for receiving a composition therein, filling the composition into the recesses, covering the composition-filled recesses with a second layer of a water-soluble film material, and sealing the first and second layers together at least around the recesses.

The water-soluble film material is preferably selected from polymers or polymer mixtures. The casing can be formed from one or from two or more layers of water-soluble film material. The water-soluble film materials of the first layer and the further layers, if present, can be the same or different.

It is preferred that the water-soluble coating contains polyvinyl alcohol or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer; more preferably it consists of polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl alcohol copolymer.

Water-soluble films for producing the water-soluble coating are preferably based on a polyvinyl alcohol or a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer whose molecular weight is in the range from 10,000 to 1,000,000 gmol ^-1 , preferably from 20,000 to 500,000 gmol ^-1 , particularly preferably from 30,000 to 100,000 gmol ^-1 and in particular from 40,000 to 80,000 gmol ^-1 .

Polyvinyl alcohol is usually produced by hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate, since the direct synthesis route is not possible. The same applies to polyvinyl alcohol copolymers, which are produced from polyvinyl acetate copolymers. It is preferred if at least one layer of the water-soluble coating comprises a polyvinyl alcohol whose degree of hydrolysis is 70 to 100 mol%, preferably 80 to 90 mol%, particularly preferably 81 to 89 mol% and in particular 82 to 88 mol%.

Polymers selected from the group comprising acrylic acid-containing polymers, polyacrylamides, oxazoline polymers, polystyrene sulfonates, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyethers, polylactic acid, and/or mixtures of the above polymers can additionally be added to a film material suitable for producing the water-soluble coating. The copolymerization of monomers underlying such polymers, individually or in mixtures of two or more, with vinyl acetate is also possible.

Preferred polyvinyl alcohol copolymers comprise, in addition to vinyl alcohol, an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, its salt or its ester. Particularly preferably, such polyvinyl alcohol copolymers contain Copolymers in addition to vinyl alcohol include acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid esters, methacrylic acid esters or mixtures thereof; among the esters, C 1-4 alkyl esters or hydroxyalkyl esters are preferred. Likewise preferred polyvinyl alcohol copolymers include ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids as further monomers in addition to vinyl alcohol. Suitable dicarboxylic acids are, for example, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid and mixtures thereof, with itaconic acid being particularly preferred.

Suitable water-soluble films for use in the wrappers of the water-soluble packaging according to the invention are films sold by MonoSol LLC, for example under the designation M8630, C8400 or M8900. Other suitable films include films with the designation Solublon® PT, Solublon® GA, Solublon® KC or Solublon® KL from Aicello Chemical Europe GmbH or the VF-HP films from Kuraray.

The washing or cleaning agent portion, comprising the washing or cleaning agent and the water-soluble casing, can have one or more chambers. The water-soluble casings with one chamber can have a substantially dimensionally stable spherical, rotationally ellipsoidal, cube-shaped, cuboid-shaped or pillow-shaped configuration with a circular, elliptical, square or rectangular basic shape. The agent can be contained in one or more chambers, if present, of the water-soluble casing.

In a preferred embodiment, the water-soluble casing has two chambers. In this embodiment, both chambers can each contain a solid partial composition or a liquid partial composition, or the first chamber contains a liquid partial composition and the second chamber contains a solid partial composition.

The proportions of the agents contained in the different chambers of a water-soluble casing with two or more chambers can have the same composition. Preferably, however, the agents in a water-soluble casing with at least two chambers have partial compositions that differ in at least one ingredient and/or in the content of at least one ingredient. Preferably, a partial composition of such agents according to the invention comprises enzyme and/or bleach activator and a separate further partial composition comprises peroxidic bleaching agent, in which case the first-mentioned partial composition in particular comprises no peroxidic bleaching agent and the second-mentioned partial composition in particular comprises no enzyme and no bleach activator.

By packaging the product in portions in a water-soluble wrapping, the user is able to place one or, if desired, several, preferably one, portions into the washing machine or dishwasher, in particular into the detergent compartment of a washing machine, or into a container for carrying out a manual washing or cleaning process. process. Such portion packs meet the consumer's desire for simplified dosing. After adding water, the coating material dissolves so that the ingredients are released and can develop their effect in the liquor. A water-soluble coated portion preferably weighs 10 g to 35 g, in particular 12 g to 28 g and particularly preferably 12 g to 15 g, with the proportion of the water-soluble coating included in the weight being 0.3 g to 2.5 g, in particular 0.7 g to 1.2 g.

The production of solid agents according to the invention presents no difficulties and can be carried out in a known manner, for example by spray drying or granulation, with enzymes and any other thermally sensitive ingredients such as bleaching agents being added separately later if necessary. To produce agents with increased bulk density, in particular in the range from 650 g/l to 950 g/l, a process comprising an extrusion step is preferred.

Liquid or pasty compositions according to the invention in the form of solutions containing water and conventional solvents are generally prepared by simply mixing the ingredients, which can be added in bulk or as a solution to an automatic mixer.

Examples

Example 1 : Washing performance

The washing performance of a sophorolipid (Rewoferm® SL ONE) in combination with a cationic surfactant (Ci2/i4-dimethyl-hydroxyethyl-ammonium chloride (Präpagen® HY) or benzalkonium chloride) was investigated in a high throughput washing device at 30°C and pH 8. For comparison, the commercially available sophorolipid alone and the pure acid form of the sophorolipid (i.e. the hydrolyzed Rewoferm® SL ONE) alone were also investigated. Various molar ratios of the sophorolipid acid form to the cationic surfactant were investigated (given in Tables 1 and 2). The total surfactant concentration in all tests was 0.62 g/l in the wash liquor. 12 different standardized stains (3*lipstick, pigment/oil, pigment/sebum, olive oil, 2*sebum, mayonnaise, frying fat, lard, beef fat) were used on polyester-cotton blended fabrics. After drying, the reflectance values of the washed textiles were determined and added together. The results are given in the following tables as average values of triplicate determinations of the 12 different stains:

Table 1 : Sum of remission values

Table 2: Sum of remission values

While the sophorolipid showed a low washing performance both in the commercial form and in the pure acid form, the latter was significantly improved by the combination with a cationic surfactant.

Example 2: Foam formation

In 50 ml of a solution containing each of the surfactants specified in Table 2 at a concentration of 0.12 g/l, foam was generated in a TECLIS Foam Scan® device by constant gassing through a glass frit from below for 120 seconds with an air flow of 100 ml/min and the foam heights were detected by a camera. Rewoferm® SL ONE, also used in Example 1, was used as the sophorolipid.

Table 3: Foam volume [ml] after 120 seconds

Claims

Patent claims:

1 . Compound of general formula (I)

S-CO ₂ - N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from C 1 - to C 4 -alkyl radicals and C 2 - to C 4 -hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C 10 - to C 4 -alkyl radicals, C 7 - to C 20 -alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C 2 - to C 4 -alkylene radicals and R ^e is selected from the C 10 - to C 18 -alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain.

2. Mixture of compounds of general formula (I),

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from C 1 - to C 4 -alkyl radicals and C 2 - to C 4 - hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C 10 - to C 4 -alkyl radicals, C 7 - to C 20 -alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C 2 - to C 4 -alkylene radicals and R ^e from the C 10 - to C 18 -alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, with sophorolipids which do not have an ammonium countercation defined in formula (I), but are in the form of the free acid or its alkali metal salts, or which are in the lactone form.

3. Mixture of compounds of general formula (I),

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from Ci- to C4-alkyl radicals and C2- to C4-hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C10- to C - Alkyl radicals, C7- to C20-alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C2- to C4-alkylene radicals and R ^e from the C10- to Cis-alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, with salts which contain cations which correspond to N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) in formula (I) but have a different counter anion, for example a halide. Mixture according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it contains a) the compound of the general formula (I) and b) the sophorolipid not defined in the general formula (I) and/or the cation not defined in the general formula (I) in weight ratios of a) to b) in the range from 1:100 to 100:1, in particular from 100:1 to 50:50. Washing, cleaning or hair treatment compositions containing a compound of the general formula (I),

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from Ci to C4 alkyl radicals and C2 to C4 hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C10 to C - alkyl radicals, C7 to C20 alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C2 to C4 alkylene radicals and R ^e from the C10 to Cis alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, or a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4. Agent according to claim 5, characterized in that it contains 0.1 wt.% to 40 wt.%, in particular 0.2 wt.% to 30 wt.% and particularly preferably 0.5 wt.% to 15 wt.% of the compound of general formula (I) or a mixture according to claims 2 to 4. Process for washing textiles, in the course of which a compound of general formula (I),

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from C 1 -C 4 alkyl radicals and C 2 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C 10 -C 4 alkyl radicals, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C 2 -C 4 alkylene radicals and R ^e from the C 10 -C 18 alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, or a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, or a detergent containing a compound of the general formula (I), or a detergent containing a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, is introduced into a washing liquor which contains a textile in need of cleaning or into which a textile in need of cleaning is introduced. Process for cleaning hard surfaces, in the course of which a compound of the general formula (I) ,

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from C 1 -C 4 alkyl radicals and C 2 -C 4 hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C 10 -C 4 alkyl radicals, C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C 2 -C 4 alkylene radicals and R ^e from the C 10 -C 18 alkyl radicals, and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, or a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, or a cleaning agent containing a compound of the general formula (I), or a cleaning agent containing a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, is introduced into a cleaning liquor which is brought into contact with the hard surface to be cleaned. Process for hair treatment, in the course of which a compound of the general formula (I),

S-CO2- N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) (I) in the

S-CO2- is a sophorolipid carboxylate anion and

R ¹ is selected from R ² and H, R ² is selected from Ci to C4 alkyl radicals and C2 to C4 hydroxyalkyl radicals, R ³ is selected from R ⁴ and R ² , and R ⁴ is selected from C10 to C alkyl radicals, C7 to C20 alkylaryl radicals, radicals -R ⁵ -O(C=O)-R ^e and radicals -R ⁵ -NH(C=O)-R ^e , where R ⁵ is selected from the C2 to C4 alkylene radicals and R ^e is selected from the C10 to Cis alkyl radicals. and in R ¹ , R ² , R ³ , R ⁴ and R ^e the alkyl moieties can each be linear or branched chain, or a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, or a hair treatment agent containing a compound of the general formula (I), or a hair treatment agent containing a mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, is applied in particular to wet hair. Compound according to claim 1, mixture according to one of claims 2 to 4, agent according to one of claims 5 to 7 or method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the cations N ⁺ (R ¹ R ² R ³ R ⁴ ) of the compounds of the general formula (I) two to three, in particular three of the four radicals have a C chain length of at most 4, in particular of 1, and the remaining radical or the other two radicals have a carbon chain of Cw to Cw.