Laundry care compositions with thiazolium dye   

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,337 filed Jan. 19, 2007, which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/761,428 filed Jan. 23, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to thiazolium dyes, laundry care compositions comprising one or more thiazolium dyes, processes of making such dyes and laundry care compositions and methods of using same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fabrics, typically lighter colored fabrics such as white fabrics, that are worn and/or laundered typically discolor. For example, white fabrics which are repeatedly laundered can exhibit a yellowing in color appearance which causes the fabric to look older and worn. In an effort to overcome such fabric discoloration, certain laundry detergent products include a hueing or bluing dye which attaches to fabric during the laundry wash and/or rinse cycle. Unfortunately, such hueing or bluing dye typically tends to accumulate on the fabric, thus giving the fabric an undesirable bluish tint. As a result, a chlorine treatment is generally employed to reduce the aforementioned accumulation of bluing dyes. While a chlorine treatment can be effective, it is an additional, inconvenient step in the laundry process. Additionally, a chlorine treatment is costly and harsh on fabrics—contributing to increased fabric degradation. Accordingly, a need exists for improved laundry care products which can counter the undesirable discoloration of fabrics, including the yellowing of white fabrics.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to thiazolium dyes, laundry care compositions comprising one or more thiazolium dyes, processes of making such dyes and laundry care compositions and methods of using same. The dyes, compositions and methods of the present invention are advantageous in providing improved hueing of fabric, including whitening of white fabric, while avoiding significant build up of bluing dyes on the fabric.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As used herein, the term “laundry care composition” includes, unless otherwise indicated, granular, powder, liquid, gel, paste, bar form and/or flake type washing agents and/or fabric treatment compositions.

As used herein, the term “fabric treatment composition” includes, unless otherwise indicated, fabric softening compositions, fabric enhancing compositions, fabric freshening compositions and combinations there of. Such compositions may be, but need not be rinse added compositions.

As used herein, the articles including “the”, “a” and “an” when used in a claim, are understood to mean one or more of what is claimed or described.

As used herein, the terms “include”, “includes” and “including” are meant to be non-limiting.

As used herein, the term polyether is defined as at least two repeating ether units that are chemically bound via the ethers\' oxygen atoms. Such polyethers may be derived from materials including but not limited to ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, hexylene oxide, glycidol, epichlorohydrin, pentaerythritol, glucose or combinations thereof.

As used herein capped polyether means a polyether that terminates in an alkyl or aryl moiety, including but not limited to a moiety selected from methyl, ethyl, butyl, isopropyl, tertiary butyl, amyl, benzyl, pentyl, and acetyl moieties.

As used herein “EO” stands for an ethylene oxide moiety.

As used herein “PO” stands for a propylene oxide moiety.

The test methods disclosed in the Test Methods Section of the present application should be used to determine the respective values of the parameters of Applicants\' inventions.

Unless otherwise noted, all component or composition levels are in reference to the active portion of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources of such components or compositions.

All percentages and ratios are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages and ratios are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated.

It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of any document is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior art with respect to the present invention.

In one aspect, a laundry care composition that may comprise a laundry care ingredient and a suitable thiazolium dye is disclosed. Suitable thiazolium dyes include thiazolium dyes that exhibit good tinting efficiency during a laundry wash cycle without exhibiting excessive undesirable build up after laundering. Thus, undesirable bluing after repeated washings with the detergent compositions of the invention is avoided and costly and harsh chlorine treatments are unnecessary. Suitable thiazolium dyes include those thiazolium dyes that are described under the heading “Suitable Thiazolium Dyes” of the present specification.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed in the present specification can employ the thiazolium dyes disclosed in the present specification as detailed by Formulae V through VIII of the present specification.

In one aspect suitable thiazolium dyes include thiazolium dye molecules numbers 1-80 as detailed in Tables 1 and 2 of the present specification.

In one aspect, suitable thiazolium dyes include thiazolium dye molecules numbers 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31, 33, 36, 38, 40, 45 and 48 as detailed in Tables 1 and 2 of the present specification.

In one aspect, suitable thiazolium dyes include thiazolium dye molecules numbers 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31, 33, 36, 38, 40, 45 and 48 as detailed in Tables 1 and 2 of the present specification.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed in the present specification can employ combinations of any of the suitable thiazolium dyes disclosed in the present specification.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed in the present specification can employ a non-hueing dye in combination with the thiazolium dye. The non-hueing dye may be selected from non-hueing dyes disclosed in U.S. Patent Application 2005/028820 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,243, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,725 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,371. While not being bound by theory, it is believed that the combination of both a thiazolium dye and a non-hueing dye allows for flexibility to color blend to a desired hue.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed in the present specification can employ a non-hueing dye, that may be non-substantive in nature, in combination with the thiazolium dye. The combination of both a thiazolium dye and a non-hueing dye can allow customization of product color and fabric tint. In one aspect, Acid Blue 7 may be employed as a non-hueing, non-tinting dye.

In one aspect, any of the components, including the suitable thiazolium dyes, may be employed in the laundry care compositions in an encapsulated form. Such encapsulates may comprise one or more of such components.

In one aspect a laundry care compositions comprising a thiazolium dye and a laundry care ingredient and having a hueing efficiency of greater than 10 but less than 40, from about 15 to about 35, or even from about 15 to about 30 and a wash removability of from about 30% to about 85%, from about 40% to about 85%, from about 50% to about 85% are disclosed.

Suitable laundry care ingredients include, but are not limited to, those materials described in the present specification as useful aspects of the present invention, including adjunct materials as described in the present specification.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed herein, may take the form of liquid, laundry detergent compositions. In one aspect, such compositions may be a heavy duty liquid composition. Such compositions may comprise a sufficient amount of a surfactant to provide the desired level of one or more cleaning properties, typically by weight of the total composition, from about 5% to about 90%, from about 5% to about 70% or even from about 5% to about 40% and a sufficient of suitable thiazolium dye that is described under the heading “Suitable Thiazolium Dyes” of the present specification, to provide a tinting effect to fabric washed in a solution containing the detergent, typically by weight of the total composition, from about 0.0001% to about 0.05%, or even from about 0.001% to about 0.01%.

The liquid detergent compositions comprise an aqueous, non-surface active liquid carrier. Generally, the amount of the aqueous, non-surface active liquid carrier employed in the compositions herein will be effective to solubilize, suspend or disperse the composition components. For example, the compositions may comprise, by weight, from about 5% to about 90%, from about 10% to about 70%, or even from about 20% to about 70% of an aqueous, non-surface active liquid carrier.

The most cost effective type of aqueous, non-surface active liquid carrier may be water. Accordingly, the aqueous, non-surface active liquid carrier component may be generally mostly, if not completely, water. While other types of water-miscible liquids, such alkanols, diols, other polyols, ethers, amines, and the like, have been conventionally been added to liquid detergent compositions as co-solvents or stabilizers, for purposes of the present invention, the utilization of such water-miscible liquids may be minimized to hold down composition cost. Accordingly, the aqueous liquid carrier component of the liquid detergent products herein will generally comprise water present in concentrations ranging from about 5% to about 90%, or even from about 20% to about 70%, by weight of the composition.

The liquid detergent compositions herein may take the form of an aqueous solution or uniform dispersion or suspension of surfactant, thiazolium dye, and certain optional other ingredients, some of which may normally be in solid form, that have been combined with the normally liquid components of the composition, such as the liquid alcohol ethoxylate nonionic, the aqueous liquid carrier, and any other normally liquid optional ingredients. Such a solution, dispersion or suspension will be acceptably phase stable and will typically have a viscosity which ranges from about 100 to 600 cps, more preferably from about 150 to 400 cps. For purposes of this invention, viscosity is measured with a Brookfield LVDV-II+viscometer apparatus using a #21 spindle.

Suitable surfactants may be anionic, nonionic, cationic, zwitterionic and/or amphoteric surfactants. In one aspect, the detergent composition comprises anionic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, or mixtures thereof.

Suitable anionic surfactants may be any of the conventional anionic surfactant types typically used in liquid detergent products. Such surfactants include the alkyl benzene sulfonic acids and their salts as well as alkoxylated or non-alkoxylated alkyl sulfate materials.

Exemplary anionic surfactants are the alkali metal salts of C10-16 alkyl benzene sulfonic acids, preferably C11-14 alkyl benzene sulfonic acids. In one aspect, the alkyl group is linear. Such linear alkyl benzene sulfonates are known as “LAS”. Such surfactants and their preparation are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,220,099 and 2,477,383. Especially preferred are the sodium and potassium linear straight chain alkylbenzene sulfonates in which the average number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is from about 11 to 14. Sodium C11-C14, e.g., C12, LAS is a specific example of such surfactants.

Another exemplary type of anionic surfactant comprises ethoxylated alkyl sulfate surfactants. Such materials, also known as alkyl ether sulfates or alkyl polyethoxylate sulfates, are those which correspond to the formula: R′—O—(C2H4O)n—SO3M wherein R′ is a C8-C20 alkyl group, n is from about 1 to 20, and M is a salt-forming cation. In a specific embodiment, R′ is C10-C18 alkyl, n is from about 1 to 15, and M is sodium, potassium, ammonium, alkylammonium, or alkanolammonium. In more specific embodiments, R′ is a C12-C16, n is from about 1 to 6 and M is sodium.

The alkyl ether sulfates will generally be used in the form of mixtures comprising varying R′ chain lengths and varying degrees of ethoxylation. Frequently such mixtures will inevitably also contain some non-ethoxylated alkyl sulfate materials, i.e., surfactants of the above ethoxylated alkyl sulfate formula wherein n=0. Non-ethoxylated alkyl sulfates may also be added separately to the compositions of this invention and used as or in any anionic surfactant component which may be present. Specific examples of non-alkyoxylated, e.g., non-ethoxylated, alkyl ether sulfate surfactants are those produced by the sulfation of higher C8-C20 fatty alcohols. Conventional primary alkyl sulfate surfactants have the general formula: ROSO3−M+ wherein R is typically a linear C8-C20 hydrocarbyl group, which may be straight chain or branched chain, and M is a water-solubilizing cation. In specific embodiments, R is a C10-C15 alkyl, and M is alkali metal, more specifically R is C12-C14 and M is sodium.

Specific, nonlimiting examples of anionic surfactants useful herein include: a) C11-C18 alkyl benzene sulfonates (LAS); b) C10-C20 primary, branched-chain and random alkyl sulfates (AS); c) C10-C18 secondary (2,3) alkyl sulfates having formulae (I) and (II):

wherein M in formulae (I) and (II) is hydrogen or a cation which provides charge neutrality, and all M units, whether associated with a surfactant or adjunct ingredient, can either be a hydrogen atom or a cation depending upon the form isolated by the artisan or the relative pH of the system wherein the compound is used, with non-limiting examples of preferred cations including sodium, potassium, ammonium, and mixtures thereof, and x is an integer of at least about 7, preferably at least about 9, and y is an integer of at least 8, preferably at least about 9; d) C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy sulfates (AExS) wherein preferably x is from 1-30; e) C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy carboxylates preferably comprising 1-5 ethoxy units; f) mid-chain branched alkyl sulfates as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,303 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,443; g) mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxy sulfates as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,181 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,303; h) modified alkylbenzene sulfonate (MLAS) as discussed in WO 99/05243, WO 99/05242, WO 99/05244, WO 99/05082, WO 99/05084, WO 99/05241, WO 99/07656, WO 00/23549, and WO 00/23548; i) methyl ester sulfonate (MES); and j) alpha-olefin sulfonate (AOS).

Suitable nonionic surfactants useful herein can comprise any of the conventional nonionic surfactant types typically used in liquid detergent products. These include alkoxylated fatty alcohols and amine oxide surfactants. Preferred for use in the liquid detergent products herein are those nonionic surfactants which are normally liquid.

Suitable nonionic surfactants for use herein include the alcohol alkoxylate nonionic surfactants. Alcohol alkoxylates are materials which correspond to the general formula: R1(CmH2mO)nOH wherein R1 is a C8-C16 alkyl group, m is from 2 to 4, and n ranges from about 2 to 12. Preferably R1 is an alkyl group, which may be primary or secondary, that contains from about 9 to 15 carbon atoms, more preferably from about 10 to 14 carbon atoms. In one embodiment, the alkoxylated fatty alcohols will also be ethoxylated materials that contain from about 2 to 12 ethylene oxide moieties per molecule, more preferably from about 3 to 10 ethylene oxide moieties per molecule.

The alkoxylated fatty alcohol materials useful in the liquid detergent compositions herein will frequently have a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) which ranges from about 3 to 17. More preferably, the HLB of this material will range from about 6 to 15, most preferably from about 8 to 15. Alkoxylated fatty alcohol nonionic surfactants have been marketed under the tradename Neodol® by the Shell Chemical Company.

Another suitable type of nonionic surfactant useful herein comprises the amine oxide surfactants. Amine oxides are materials which are often referred to in the art as “semi-polar” nonionics. Amine oxides have the formula: R(EO)x(PO)y(BO)zN(O)(CH2R′)2.qH2O. In this formula, R is a relatively long-chain hydrocarbyl moiety which can be saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, and can contain from 8 to 20, preferably from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and is more preferably C12-C16 primary alkyl. R′ is a short-chain moiety, preferably selected from hydrogen, methyl and —CH2OH. When x+y+z is different from 0, EO is ethyleneoxy, PO is propyleneneoxy and BO is butyleneoxy. Amine oxide surfactants are illustrated by C12-14 alkyldimethyl amine oxide.

Non-limiting examples of nonionic surfactants include: a) C12-C18 alkyl ethoxylates, such as, NEODOL® nonionic surfactants from Shell; b) C6-C12 alkyl phenol alkoxylates wherein the alkoxylate units are a mixture of ethyleneoxy and propyleneoxy units; c) C12-C18 alcohol and C6-C12 alkyl phenol condensates with ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block polymers such as Pluronic® from BASF; d) C14-C22 mid-chain branched alcohols, BA, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,322; e) C14-C22 mid-chain branched alkyl alkoxylates, BAEx, wherein x 1-30, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,577, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,303 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,856; f) Alkylpolysaccharides as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,647 Llenado, issued Jan. 26, 1986; specifically alkylpolyglycosides as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,780 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,779; g) Polyhydroxy fatty acid amides as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,528, WO 92/06162, WO 93/19146, WO 93/19038, and WO 94/09099; and h) ether capped poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol surfactants as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,994 and WO 01/42408.

In the laundry detergent compositions herein, the detersive surfactant component may comprise combinations of anionic and nonionic surfactant materials. When this is the case, the weight ratio of anionic to nonionic will typically range from 10:90 to 90:10, more typically from 30:70 to 70:30.

Cationic surfactants are well known in the art and non-limiting examples of these include quaternary ammonium surfactants, which can have up to 26 carbon atoms. Additional examples include a) alkoxylate quaternary ammonium (AQA) surfactants as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,769; b) dimethyl hydroxyethyl quaternary ammonium as discussed in 6,004,922; c) polyamine cationic surfactants as discussed in WO 98/35002, WO 98/35003, WO 98/35004, WO 98/35005, and WO 98/35006; d) cationic ester surfactants as discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,228,042, 4,239,660 4,260,529 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,844; and e) amino surfactants as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,825 and WO 00/47708, specifically amido propyldimethyl amine (APA).

Non-limiting examples of zwitterionic surfactants include: 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. Pat. No. 3,929,678 to Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975 at column 19, line 38 through column 22, line 48, for examples of zwitterionic surfactants; betaine, including alkyl dimethyl betaine and cocodimethyl amidopropyl betaine, C8 to C18 (preferably C12 to C18) amine oxides and sulfo and hydroxy betaines, such as N-alkyl-N,N-dimethylamino-1-propane sulfonate where the alkyl group can be C8 to C18, preferably C10 to C14.

Non-limiting examples of ampholytic surfactants include: aliphatic derivatives of secondary or tertiary amines, or aliphatic derivatives of heterocyclic secondary and tertiary amines in which the aliphatic radical can be straight- or branched-chain. One of the aliphatic substituents contains at least about 8 carbon atoms, typically from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms, and at least one contains an anionic water-solubilizing group, e.g. carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 to Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975 at column 19, lines 18-35, for examples of ampholytic surfactants.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed herein, may take the form of granular, laundry detergent compositions. Such compositions may comprise a sufficient of suitable thiazolium dye that is described under the heading “Suitable Thiazolium Dyes” of the present specification, to provide a tinting effect to fabric washed in a solution containing the detergent, typically by weight of the total composition, from about 0.0001% to about 0.05%, or even from about 0.001% to about 0.01%.

Granular detergent compositions of the present invention may include any number of conventional detergent ingredients. For example, the surfactant system of the detergent composition may include anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, ampholytic and cationic classes and compatible mixtures thereof. Detergent surfactants for granular compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,961, Norris, issued May 23, 1972, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,678, Laughlin et al., issued Dec. 30, 1975. Cationic surfactants include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,905, Cockrell, issued Sep. 16, 1980, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,659, Murphy, issued Dec. 16, 1980.

Nonlimiting examples of surfactant systems include the conventional C11-C18 alkyl benzene sulfonates (“LAS”) and primary, branched-chain and random C10-C20 alkyl sulfates (“AS”), the C10-C18 secondary (2,3) alkyl sulfates of the formula CH3(CH2)x(CHOSO3−M+) CH3 and CH3 (CH2)y(CHOSO3−M+)CH2CH3 where x and (y+1) are integers of at least about 7, preferably at least about 9, and M is a water-solubilizing cation, especially sodium, unsaturated sulfates such as oleyl sulfate, the C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy sulfates (“AExS”; especially EO 1-7 ethoxy sulfates), C10-C18 alkyl alkoxy carboxylates (especially the EO 1-5 ethoxycarboxylate), the C10-C18 glycerol ethers, the C10-C18 alkyl polyglycosides and their corresponding sulfated polyglycosides, and C12-C18 alpha-sulfonated fatty acid esters. If desired, the conventional nonionic and amphoteric surfactants such as the C12-C18 alkyl ethoxylates (“AE”) including the so-called narrow peaked alkyl ethoxylates and C6-C12 alkyl phenol alkoxylates (especially ethoxylates and mixed ethoxy/propoxy), C12-C18 betaines and sulfobetaines (“sultaines”), C10-C18 amine oxides, and the like, can also be included in the surfactant system. The C10-C18 N-alkyl polyhydroxy fatty acid amides can also be used. See WO 9,206,154. Other sugar-derived surfactants include the N-alkoxy polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, such as C10-C18 N-(3-methoxypropyl)glucamide. The N-propyl through N-hexyl C12-C18 glucamides can be used for low sudsing. C10-C20 conventional soaps may also be used. If high sudsing is desired, the branched-chain C10-C16 soaps may be used. Mixtures of anionic and nonionic surfactants are especially useful. Other conventional useful surfactants are listed in standard texts.

The detergent composition can, and preferably does, include a detergent builder. Builders are generally selected from the various water-soluble, alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium phosphates, polyphosphates, phosphonates, polyphosphates, carbonates, silicates, borates, polyhydroxy sulfonates, polyacetates, carboxylates, and polycarboxylates. Preferred are the alkali metal, especially sodium, salts of the above. Preferred for use herein are the phosphates, carbonates, silicates, C10-18 fatty acids, polycarboxylates, and mixtures thereof. More preferred are sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, citrate, tartrate mono- and di-succinates, sodium silicate, and mixtures thereof.

Specific examples of inorganic phosphate builders are sodium and potassium tripolyphosphate, pyrophosphate, polymeric metaphosphate having a degree of polymerization of from about 6 to 21, and orthophosphates. Examples of polyphosphate builders are the sodium and potassium salts of ethylene diphosphonic acid, the sodium and potassium salts of ethane 1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonic acid and the sodium and potassium salts of ethane, 1,1,2-trisphosphonic acid. Other phosphorus builder compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,159,581; 3,213,030; 3,422,021; 3,422,137; 3,400,176 and 3,400,148. Examples of nonphosphorus, inorganic builders are sodium and potassium carbonate, bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate, tetraborate decahydrate, and silicates having a weight ratio of SiO2 to alkali metal oxide of from about 0.5 to about 4.0, preferably from about 1.0 to about 2.4. Water-soluble, nonphosphorus organic builders useful herein include the various alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium polyacetates, carboxylates, polycarboxylates and polyhydroxy sulfonates. Examples of polyacetate and polycarboxylate builders are the sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, oxydisuccinic acid, mellitic acid, benzene polycarboxylic acids, and citric acid.

Polymeric polycarboxylate builders are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,067, Diehl, issued Mar. 7, 1967. Such materials include the water-soluble salts of homo- and copolymers of aliphatic carboxylic acids such as maleic acid, itaconic acid, mesaconic acid, fumaric acid, aconitic acid, citraconic acid and methylenemalonic acid. Some of these materials are useful as the water-soluble anionic polymer as hereinafter described, but only if in intimate admixture with the nonsoap anionic surfactant. Other suitable polycarboxylates for use herein are the polyacetal carboxylates described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,226, issued Mar. 13, 1979 to Crutchfield et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,495, issued Mar. 27, 1979 to Crutchfield et al.

Water-soluble silicate solids represented by the formula SiO2.M2O, M being an alkali metal, and having a SiO2:M2O weight ratio of from about 0.5 to about 4.0, are useful salts in the detergent granules of the invention at levels of from about 2% to about 15% on an anhydrous weight basis. Anhydrous or hydrated particulate silicate can be utilized, as well.

Any number of additional ingredients can also be included as components in the granular detergent composition. These include other detergency builders, bleaches, bleach activators, suds boosters or suds suppressors, anti-tarnish and anti-corrosion agents, soil suspending agents, soil release agents, germicides, pH adjusting agents, nonbuilder alkalinity sources, chelating agents, smectite clays, enzymes, enzyme-stabilizing agents and perfumes. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,537, issued Feb. 3, 1976 to Baskerville, Jr. et al.

Bleaching agents and activators are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,934, Chung et al., issued Nov. 1, 1983, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,781, Hartman, issued Nov. 20, 1984. Chelating agents are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,071, Bush et al., from Column 17, line 54 through Column 18, line 68. Suds modifiers are also optional ingredients and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,933,672, issued Jan. 20, 1976 to Bartoletta et al., and 4,136,045, issued Jan. 23, 1979 to Gault et al. Suitable smectite clays for use herein are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,645, Tucker et al., issued Aug. 9, 1988, Column 6, line 3 through Column 7, line 24. Suitable additional detergency builders for use herein are enumerated in the Baskerville patent, Column 13, line 54 through Column 16, line 16, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,071, Bush et al., issued May 5, 1987.

In one aspect, the laundry care compositions disclosed herein, may take the form of rinse added fabric conditioning compositions. Such compositions may comprise a fabric softening active and a sufficient amount of suitable thiazolium dye, that is described under the heading “Suitable Thiazolium Dyes” of the present specification, to provide a tinting effect to fabric treated by the composition, typically from about 0.00001 wt. % (0.1 ppm) to about 1 wt. % (10,000 ppm), or even from about 0.0003 wt. % (3 ppm) to about 0.03 wt. % (300 ppm) based on total rinse added fabric conditioning composition weight. In another specific embodiment, the compositions are rinse added fabric conditioning compositions. Examples of typical rinse added conditioning composition can be found in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/687,582 filed on Oct. 8, 2004.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fabric softening active (hereinafter “FSA”) is a quaternary ammonium compound suitable for softening fabric in a rinse step. In one embodiment, the FSA is formed from a reaction product of a fatty acid and an aminoalcohol obtaining mixtures of mono-, di-, and, in one embodiment, triester compounds. In another embodiment, the FSA comprises one or more softener quaternary ammonium compounds such, but not limited to, as a monoalkyquaternary ammonium compound, a diamido quaternary compound and a diester quaternary ammonium compound, or a combination thereof.

In one aspect of the invention, the FSA comprises a diester quaternary ammonium (hereinafter “DQA”) compound composition. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the DQA compounds compositions also encompasses a description of diamido FSAs and FSAs with mixed amido and ester linkages as well as the aforementioned diester linkages, all herein referred to as DQA.

A first type of DQA (“DQA (1)”) suitable as a FSA in the present CFSC includes a compound comprising the formula:

{R4-m−N+−[(CH2)n−Y−R1]m}X−

wherein each R substituent is either hydrogen, a short chain C1-C6, preferably C1-C3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, poly (C2-C3 alkoxy), preferably polyethoxy, group, benzyl, or mixtures thereof; each m is 2 or 3; each n is from 1 to about 4, preferably 2; each Y is —O—(O)C—, —C(O)—O—, —NR—C(O)—, or —C(O)—NR— and it is acceptable for each Y to be the same or different; the sum of carbons in each R1, plus one when Y is —O—(O)C— or —NR—C(O)—, is C12-C22, preferably C14-C20, with each R1 being a hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl group; it is acceptable for R1 to be unsaturated or saturated and branched or linear and preferably it is linear; it is acceptable for each R1 to be the same or different and preferably these are the same; and X− can be any softener-compatible anion, preferably, chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate, sulfate, phosphate, and nitrate, more preferably chloride or methyl sulfate. Preferred DQA compounds are typically made by reacting alkanolamines such as MDEA (methyldiethanolamine) and TEA (triethanolamine) with fatty acids. Some materials that typically result from such reactions include N,N-di(acyl-oxyethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonium chloride or N,N-di(acyl-oxyethyl)-N,N-methylhydroxyethylammonium methylsulfate wherein the acyl group is derived from animal fats, unsaturated, and polyunsaturated, fatty acids, e.g., tallow, hardended tallow, oleic acid, and/or partially hydrogenated fatty acids, derived from vegetable oils and/or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as, canola oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, tall oil, rice bran oil, palm oil, etc. Non-limiting examples of suitable fatty acids are listed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,990 at column 4, lines 45-66. In one embodiment the FSA comprises other actives in addition to DQA (1) or DQA. In yet another embodiment, the FSA comprises only DQA (1) or DQA and is free or essentially free of any other quaternary ammonium compounds or other actives. In yet another embodiment, the FSA comprises the precursor amine that is used to produce the DQA.

In another aspect of the invention, the FSA comprises a compound, identified as DTTMAC comprising the formula:

[R4-m−N(+)−R1m]A−

wherein each m is 2 or 3, each R1 is a C6-C22, preferably C14-C20, but no more than one being less than about C12 and then the other is at least about 16, hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent, preferably C10-C20 alkyl or alkenyl (unsaturated alkyl, including polyunsaturated alkyl, also referred to sometimes as “alkylene”), most preferably C12-C18 alkyl or alkenyl, and branch or unbranched. In one embodiment, the Iodine Value (IV) of the FSA is from about 1 to 70; each R is H or a short chain C1-C6, preferably C1-C3 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group, e.g., methyl (most preferred), ethyl, propyl, hydroxyethyl, and the like, benzyl, or (R2o)2-4H where each R2 is a C1-C6 alkylene group; and A− is a softener compatible anion, preferably, chloride, bromide, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate, sulfate, phosphate, or nitrate; more preferably chloride or methyl sulfate. Examples of these FSAs include dialkyldimethylammonium salts and dialkylenedimethylammonium salts such as ditallowedimethylammonium and ditallowedimethylammonium methylsulfate. Examples of commercially available dialkylenedimethylammonium salts usable in the present invention are di-hydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride and ditallowedimethyl ammonium chloride available from Degussa under the trade names Adogen® 442 and Adogen® 470 respectively. In one embodiment the FSA comprises other actives in addition to DTTMAC. In yet another embodiment, the FSA comprises only compounds of the DTTMAC and is free or essentially free of any other quaternary ammonium compounds or other actives.

In one embodiment, the FSA comprises an FSA described in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0204337 A1, published Oct. 14, 2004 to Corona et al., from paragraphs 30-79.

In another embodiment, the FSA is one described in U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2004/0229769 A1, published Nov. 18, 2005, to Smith et al., on paragraphs 26-31; or U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,920, at column 1, line 51 et seq. detailing an “esterquat” or a quaternized fatty acid triethanolamine ester salt.

In one embodiment, the FSA is chosen from at least one of the following: ditallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dihydrogenated-tallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, ditallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dihydrogenated-tallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dihydrogenated-tallowoyloxyethyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the FSA may also include amide containing compound compositions. Examples of diamide comprising compounds may include but not limited to methyl-bis(tallowamidoethyl)-2-hydroxyethylammonium methyl sulfate (available from Degussa under the trade names Varisoft 110 and Varisoft 222). An example of an amide-ester containing compound is N-[3-(stearoylamino)propyl]-N-[2-(stearoyloxy)ethoxy)ethyl)]-N-methylamine.

Another specific embodiment of the invention provides for a rinse added fabric care composition further comprising a cationic starch. Cationic starches are disclosed in US 2004/0204337 A1. In one embodiment, the fabric care composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 7% of cationic starch by weight of the laundry care composition. In one embodiment, the cationic starch is HCP401 from National Starch.

Suitable thiazolium dyes include azo dyes that may have Formula (I) below:

wherein: R3 and R4 may be identical or different and, independently of one another, are hydrogen, a saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl group substituted by a halogen atom, a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl group optionally interrupted by oxygen, a polyether group derived from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide, an amino-(C1-C22)-alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a benzyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl group terminated in sulfonate, sulfate, or carboxylate, or the radical groups R3 and R4, together with the remaining molecule, can form a heterocyclic or carbocyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted ring system optionally substituted by halogen, sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, nitrate, and carboxylate; X may be a radical group of the phenol series or a heterocyclic radical group or aniline series or m-toluidine series that may have Formula II below;

wherein: R5 and R6 may be identical or different and, independently of one another, are a straight or branched saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl ether group, a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl group optionally inter-rupted by oxygen, a polyether group derived from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, glycidyl or combinations thereof, an amino-(C1-C22)-alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a benzyl group, a linear or branched (C1-C22)-alkyl group terminated in a linear or branched (C1-C22)-alkyl, hydroxyl, acetate, sulfonate, sulfate, or carboxylate, group or R5 and R6 or R5 and R7 or R6 and R7, together with the nitrogen atom, form a 5-membered to 6-membered ring system, which may comprise a further heteroatom; or R5 and R6 or R5 and R7 or R6 and R7, form with a carbon atom of the benzene ring an optionally oxygen-containing or nitrogen containing five or six-membered heterocycle which may be substituted with one or more (C1-C22)-alkyl group; R7 may be identical or different and, independently of one another, are hydrogen, a halogen atom, a saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl ether group, a hydroxyl group, a hydroxy-(C1-C22)-alkyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkoxy group, a cyano group, a nitro group, an amino group, a (C1-C22)-alkylamino group, a (C1-C22)-dialkylamino group, a carboxylic acid group, a C(O)O—(C1-C22)-alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C(O)O-phenyl group; Q− may be an anion that balances the overall charge of the compound of Formula I, and the index q may be either 0 or 1. Suitable anions include chloro, bromo, methosulfate, tetrafluoroborate, and acetate anions. R1 may be a (C1-C22)-alkyl, an alkyl aromatic or an alkyl sulfonate radical having Formula (III) below;

wherein R2 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, acetate or a hydroxyl group; m and p are integers from 0 to (n−1), n is an integer from 1 to 6 and m+p=(n−1); with the proviso that the heterocycle of the Formula (I) comprises at least two and at most three heteroatoms, where the heterocycle has at most one sulfur atom;

In one aspect, a suitable thiazolium dye may have Formula IV below:

wherein R8 and R9 may be identical or different and, independently of one another, may be a saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl group, a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl group optionally interrupted by oxygen, a polyether group derived from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide, an amino-(C1-C22)-alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a benzyl group, a (C1-C22)-alkyl group terminated in sulfonate, sulfate, or carboxylate, or R8 and R9, together with the nitrogen atom, may form a 5-membered to 6-membered ring system, which may comprise a further heteroatom; or R8 or R9 may form, with a carbon atom of the benzene ring, an optionally oxygen-containing or nitrogen containing five or six-membered heterocycle which may be substituted with one or more (C1-C22)-alkyl groups, and mixtures thereof, and R10 is hydrogen or methyl. For Formula IV, Q− is as described for Formula I above.

In one aspect, suitable thiazolium dyes may have Formula (V);

wherein: a.) R1 may be selected from a branched or unbranched (C1-C22)-alkyl moiety, an aromatic alkyl moiety, a polyalkylene oxide moiety or a moiety having Formula (VI) below;

wherein (i) R2 may be selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, acetate or a hydroxyl moiety; m and p may be, independently, integers from 0 to (n−1), with the proviso that n is an integer from 1 to 6 and m+p=(n−1) (ii) Y may be selected from a hydroxyl, sulfonate, sulfate, carboxylate or acetate moiety; b.) R3 and R4: i.) may be independently selected from hydrogen; a saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl moiety; a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl moiety; a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl moiety comprising, in addition to the hydroxyl oxygen, an oxygen atom; a polyether moiety; an amino-(C1-C22)-alkyl moiety; a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl moiety; a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl moiety; a (C1-C22)-alkyl moiety terminated in sulfonate, sulfate, acetate, or carboxylate; or ii.) when taken together may form a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic or carbocyclic moiety; or iii.) when taken together may form a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic or carbocyclic moiety substituted by, sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, nitrate, and carboxylate; c.) X may be moiety having Formula VII below;

wherein: i.) R5 and R6: (a) may be independently selected from hydrogen; a saturated or unsaturated (C1-C22)-alkyl moiety; a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl moiety; a hydroxy-(C2-C22)-alkyl moiety comprising, in addition to the hydroxyloxygen, an oxygen atom; a capped or uncapped polyether moiety; an amino-(C1-C22)-alkyl moiety; a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl moiety; a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl moiety; a (C1-C22)-alkyl moiety comprising a terminating C1-C4 alkyl ether, sulfonate, sulfate, acetate or carboxylate moiety; a thiazole moiety or (b) when taken together may form a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic moiety; or (c) when taken together form a saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic moiety substituted by one or more, alkoxylate, sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, nitrate, and/or carboxylate moieties; (d) when taken together with R7, R8, or R7 and R8 form one or more saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic moieties, optionally substituted by one or more alkoxylate, sulfate, sulfonate, phosphate, nitrate, and/or carboxylate moieties; or (e) when taken together form a thiazole moiety; ii.) R7 and R8 may be independently selected from hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated alkyl moiety; d.) Q− may be an anion that balances the overall charge of the compound of Formula I, and the index q is 0 or 1. Suitable anions include chloro, bromo, methosulfate, tetrafluoroborate, and acetate anions.

In one aspect, for Formula V:

a.) R1 may be a methyl moiety;

b.) R3 and R4 may be hydrogen; and

c.) X may have Formula VIII below:

wherein (i) R5 and R6 may be as defined for Formula VII above; (ii) R7 may be hydrogen or a methyl moiety; and (iii) R8 may be hydrogen.

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