Process and composition for multicomponent one hundred percent solid fabric softeners

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of producing a mixture of a quaternary ammonium compound, fatty acid, fatty acid ester and tertiary amine salt in situ which is a highly functional mixture that is manufactured in a single step reaction whereby quaternization is completed without the aid of solvents, especially flammable solvents. The single step reaction process eliminates separate blending of individual components. The compositions obtained can be used as fabric softeners, in modified clays, as hair treating compounds and as disinfectants.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method of producing a mixture of quaternary ammonium compound, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, and tertiary amine salt by 
       reacting in a solvent free system, a tertiary amine, quaternizing agent, and fatty acid each in an amount so that said mixture will contain at least a quaternary ammonium compound, fatty acid, fatty acid ester and tertiary amine salt, wherein said tertiary amine has the formula:                    
       wherein R, R 1  or R 2  are: 
       (1) a linear or branched chain aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having up to about 22 carbon atoms;  
       (2) a hydroxy lower alkyl group;  
       (3) an alkyl amide alkylene group of the formula;                    
       where R 4  is lower alkylene and wherein R 3  is (1), (2), (4) or (5); 
       (4) a lower alkoxy group;  
       (5) a poly(oxyloweralkylene) group; so that at least one of R, R 1  and R 2  is one of said hydrocarbon groups or one of said hydroxy lower alkyl groups;  
       or said tertiary amine is an imidazoline of the formula;                    
       wherein R 5  is a linear or branched chain aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having up to about 22 carbon atoms and R 6  is a lower alkylene group, 
       said quaternizing agent being  is capable of producing a quaternary ammonium compound having anions A − ; 
       said fatty acid is a linear or branched chain saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms; 
       said quaternary ammonium compound having  has the formula:                    
       wherein R 7    is a lower alkyl group or cyclo lower alkyl group;   
       andor the salts of (I) and (II) wherein R— is hydrogen; 
       said tertiary amine salt has the formula;                   
       said fatty acid ester having  has the formula:                    
       wherein R 8  is a linear or branched chain, aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having from about 11 to about 21 carbon atoms; 
       and where said tertiary amine, quaternizing agent and fatty acid are reacted with one another in an amount so that said mixture obtained contains about 10 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of said quaternary ammonium compound, about 15 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said tertiary amine salt, about 1 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said ester and about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said fatty acid whereinand the ratio of said quaternary ammonium compound to said tertiary amine salt is from about 2:1 to about 1:2 on a weight basis. 
     
     
       2. The  A method of  claim 1  where said  producing a mixture of quaternary ammonium compound, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, and tertiary amine salt by reacting in a solvent free system, a tertiary amine, quaternizing agent, and fatty acid each in an amount so that said mixture will contain at least a quaternary ammonium compound, fatty acid, fatty acid ester and tertiary amine salt, wherein 
       said tertiary amine is an imidazoline having the formula:                    
       or is an amine of the formula:                    
       where 
       R 9    is alkyl or alkenyl having about  8  to about  30  carbon atoms;   
       R 10    and R   11    are independently hydrogen or alkyl having up to about  4  carbon atoms; and   
       R 12    is alkyl having up to about  4  carbon atoms, said quaternizing agent is capable of producing a quaternary ammonium compound having anions A   −   ;   
       said fatty acid is a linear or branched chain saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from about  12  to about  22  carbon atoms; 
       and  said quaternary ammonium compound has the formula:                    
       where 
       R 9  is alkyl or akenyls having about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms;  
       R 10  and R 11  are independently hydrogen or alkyl having up to about 4 carbon atoms;  
       R 12  is alkyl having up to about 4 carbon atoms; and the salts of (III) or (IV) where R 12  on the nitrogen atom is hydrogen  
       and said tertiary amine salt has the formula:                   
       and wherein said tertiary amine, quaternizing agent and fatty acid are reacted with one another in an amount so that said mixture obtained contains about  10  wt. %  to about  80  wt.  %  of said quaternary ammonium compound, about  15  wt.  %  to about  70  wt.  %  of said tertiary amine salt, about  1  wt.  %  to about  70  wt.  %  of said ester and about  5  wt.  %  to about  70  wt.  %  of said fatty acid and the ratio of said quaternary ammonium compound to said tertiary amine salt is from about  2 : 1  to about  1 : 2  on a weight basis.    
     
     
       3. The method of any of claims  1  or  2  where said tertiary amine, quaternizing agent and fatty acid are reacted with one another in an amount so that said mixture obtained contains about 35 wt. % to about 55 wt. % of said quaternary ammonium compound, about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of said tertiary amine salt, about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of said ester and about 15 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of said fatty acid wherein the ratio of said quaternary ammonium compound to said salt is from about 2:1 to about 1:2 on a weight basis . 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  where said quaternary ammonium compound is a compound of formula (I) or  wherein at least one of the R, R 1  and R 2  groups is a branched chain or linear, aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms and the balance, if any, of said R, R 1  and R 2  groups is a lower alkyl group. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  where A is a lower alkyl sulfate group;  and where said at least one of the R, R 1  and R 2  groups is saida saturated hydrocarbon group, it is saturated . 
     
     
       6. As a composition of matter, a solvent free mixture of a quaternary ammonium compound having the formula:                    
       where R, R 1  and R 2  are 
       (1) linear or branched chain aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having up to about 22 carbon atoms;  
       (2) a hydroxy lower alkyl group;  
       (3) an alkyl amido alkylene group of the formula,                    
       where R 4  is lower alkylene and R 3  is any of R, R 1  or R 2 ; 
       (4) a lower alkoxy group;  
       (5) a poly(oxyloweralkylene) group; so that at least one of R, R 1  or R 2  is one of said hydrocarbon groups or one of said hydroxy lower alkyl groups,  
       where R 5  is a linear or branched chain aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having up to about 22 carbon atoms and , 
       R 6  is a lower alkylene group,  
       R 7    is lower alkyl group or cyclo lower alkyl group, and   
       where 
       A −  is an anion;  
       a linear or branched chain saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms; 
       a tertiary amine salt having the formula (I) or (II) where R 7  is hydrogen ;                    
       and a fatty acid ester having the formula:                    
       where R 8  is a linear or branched chain, aliphatic saturated or unsaturated group having from about 11 to about 21 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       7. The  As a composition of claim 6 where said amine is an imidazoline having the formula  matter, a solvent free mixture of a quaternary ammonium compound having the formula:                   
       or an amine of the formula:                    
       said quaternary ammonium compound has the formula                    
       where 
       R 9  is alkyl or alkenyls  having about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms;  
       R 10  and R 11  are independently hydrogen or alkyl having up to about 4 carbon atoms; and  
       R 12  is alkyl having up to about 4 carbon atoms; and the salts of (III) and (IV) where R 12  on the nitrogenatom is hydrogen.  
       A −    is an anion;   
       a linear or branched chain saturated or unsaturated fatty acid having from about  12  to about  22  carbon atoms; 
       a tertiary amine salt having the formula:                   
       
         and a fatty acid ester having the formula:  
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 7    is a lower alkyl group or cyclo lower alkyl group and R   8    is a linear or branched chain, aliphatic saturated or unsaturated group having from about  11  to about  21  carbon atoms.    
     
     
       8. The composition of any of claims  6  or  7  where said tertiary amine, quaternizing agent and fatty acid are present in an amount of  mixture contains about 10 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of said quaternary ammonium compound, about 15 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said tertiary amine salt, about 1 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said ester and about 5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of said fatty acid, and wherein the ratio of said quaternary ammonium compound to said tertiary amine salt, is from about 2:1 to about 1:2 on a weight basis. 
     
     
       9. The composition of any of claims  6  or  7  where said tertiary amine, quaternizing agent and fatty acid are present in an amount so that said  mixture contains about 35 wt. % to about 55 wt. % of said quaternary ammonium compound, about 10 wt. % to about 30 wt. % of said tertiary amine salt, about 5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of said ester and about 15 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of said fatty acid wherein the ratio of said quaternary ammonium compound to said tertiary amine salt, is from about 2:1 to about 1:2 on a weight basis. 
     
     
       10. The mixture of  claim 6  where said quaternary ammonium compound is a compound of formula (I) and wherein at least one of said R, R 1  and R 2  groups is a branched chain or linear, aliphatic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having from about 12 to about 22 carbon atoms and the balance, if any, of said R, R 1  and R 2  groups is a lower alkyl group. 
     
     
       11. The mixture of claim  9   10 where A −  is a lower alkyl sulfate group and where said at least one of said R, R 1  and R 2  is said  a saturated hydrocarbon group it is saturated . 
     
     
       12. A fabric softening article of manufacture comprising a fabric softening amount of any of the mixtures of claims  6  or  7 , operatively associated with a substrate that will release said mixture to a fabric under fabric softening conditions. 
     
     
       13. The article of  claim 12  where said substrate is a fabric. 
     
     
       14. The article of  claim 12  where said substrate is a porous polymeric material. 
     
     
       15. A fabric cleaning composition comprising a detergent in combination with a fabric softening amount of the mixtures of any of claims  6  or  7 . 
     
     
       16. The composition of  claim 15  where said detergent is a synthetic detergent. 
     
     
       17. The composition of  claim 15  where said detergent is a soap.