Malodour counteracting compositions

Abstract

A malodour-counteracting composition containing (i) a salt of general formula (I) R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X −   (I) wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 are independently selected from C 1-4 alkyl, or R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 may together constitute a nitrogen-containing cyclic system in which the nitrogen is part of a pyridinium or an imidazolinium ring; and X − is a counterion characterised by its protonated form having an acidity constant (pKa) lying between 1 and 6; and (ii) an alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound of the general formula R 5 R 6 C═CR 7 C(═O)YR 8   (II) wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-10 hydrocarbyl residues which may be saturated, unsaturated, aromatic, cyclic, branched or unbranched, and are optionally substituted, or R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 may together constitute a cyclic system and Y is oxygen or a single covalent bond, with the proviso that Y is a covalent bond when R 8 is hydrogen. The composition may be incorporated into consumer products and is able to remove malodours from the air or from surfaces.

1 . A malodour-counteracting composition comprising
 (i) a salt of general formula (I)
   R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X −   (I)
 
   
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  are independently selected from C 1-4  alkyl, or R 1 , R 2  R 3 , R 4  together constitute a nitrogen-containing cyclic system in which the nitrogen is part of a pyridinium or an imidazolinium ring; and X −  is a counterion characterised by its protonated form having an acidity constant (pKa) lying between 1 and 6; and
 (ii) an alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound of the general formula
   R 5 R 6 C═CR 7 C(═O)YR 8   (II)
 
 
 
       wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7  and R 8  are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-10  hydrocarbyl residues which may be saturated, unsaturated, aromatic, cyclic, branched or unbranched, and are optionally substituted, or R 5 , R 6 , R 7  and R 8  may together constitute a cyclic system and Y is oxygen or a single covalent bond, with the proviso that Y is a covalent bond when R 8  is hydrogen. 
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the pKa of the salt of the general formula (I) is between 2 and 5. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 2 , in which the salt is selected from tetrabutylammonium acetate and tetraethylammonium benzoate. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 2 , in which the optional substituents of the compound of formula II are selected from hydroxy, alkoxy, keto, alkoxycarbonyl, carbalkoxy and ether. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the compound of formula II is one in which
 (a) R 7  is hydrogen and Y is absent; and   (b) at least one of R 5  and R 6  is an ester group and Y is an oxygen atom, such that the compound is a di-ester or tri-ester.   
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , in which the compound of the formula II is selected from citral, cinnamaldehyde, damascene and a fumarate. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 5 , in which the compound of formula II comprises dihexyl fumarate. 
     
     
         8 . A malodour-absorbing perfume containing at least 0.075% w/w, based on the perfume, of at least one compound of formula II, together with at least one compound of formula I, the compound of formula I being selected such that its solubility in the perfume is at least 100 ppm by weight at 25° C., wherein formula (I) is
   R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X −   (I)
 
 
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  are independently selected from C 1-4  alkyl, or R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  together constitute a nitrogen-containing cyclic system in which the nitrogen is part of a pyridinium or an imidazolinium ring; and X −  is a counterion characterised by its protonated form having an acidity constant (pKa) lying between 1 and 6;
 and formula II is
   R 5 R 6 C═CR 7 C(═O)YR 8   (II)
 
 
 
       wherein R 5 , R 6  R 7  and R 8  are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-10  hydrocarbyl residues which may be saturated, unsaturated, aromatic, cyclic, branched or unbranched, and are optionally substituted, or R 5 , R 6 , R 7  and R 8  together constitute a cyclic system and Y is oxygen or a single covalent bond, with the proviso that Y is a covalent bond when R 8  is hydrogen. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the weight ratio of the compound of formula Ito that of formula II is from 1:1000 to 1:5. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , in which the compound of formula I is at least one of tetrabutylammonium acetate and tetraethylammonium benzoate and the compound of formula II is dihexyl fumarate in a ratio of from 1:300 to 1:30. 
     
     
         11 . A method of counteracting malodour in the atmosphere or on a substrate, comprising the application to the atmosphere or substrate of a composition comprising
 (i) a salt of general formula (I)
   R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X −   (I)
 
   
       wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  are independently selected from C 1-4  alkyl, or R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  together constitute a nitrogen-containing cyclic system in which the nitrogen is part of a pyridinium or an imidazolinium ring; and X −  is a counterion characterised by its protonated form having an acidity constant (pKa) lying between 1 and 6; and
 (ii) an alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound of the general formula
   R 5 R 6 C═CR 7 C(═O)YR 8   (II)
 
 
 
       wherein R 5 , R 6 , R 7  and R 8  are independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-10  hydrocarbyl residues which may be saturated, unsaturated, aromatic, cyclic, branched or unbranched, and are optionally substituted, or R 5 , R 6 , R 7  and R 8  together constitute a cyclic system and Y is oxygen or a single covalent bond, with the proviso that Y is a covalent bond when R 8  is hydrogen. 
     
     
         12 . A method for removing malodour from the air, comprising treatment of the air directly or indirectly, the latter via the treatment of a substrate such as a hard surface, fabric, hair or skin in contact with the air, comprising the exposure to the air or the application to a substrate of a consumer product incorporating an effective amount of a malodour-counteracting composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A consumer product, comprising a consumer product base and an effective amount of a malodour-counteracting composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  claim 1 , in which the pKa of the salt of the general formula (I) is between 3 and 5. 
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the weight ratio of the compound of formula Ito that of formula II is between 1:500 to 1:20. 
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the weight ratio of the compound of formula Ito that of formula II is 1:300 to 1:30. 
     
     
         17 . The perfume of  claim 8 , wherein the solubility in the perfume of the compound of formula I is at least 200 ppm by weight at 25° C. 
     
     
         18 . The perfume of  claim 8 , containing at least 0.1% w/w, based on the perfume, of at least one compound of formula II.