| abstract |
The present invention relates to stable, homogeneous, preferably concentrated, aqueous liquid textile treatment compositions that contain biodegradable diester quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula: <IMAGE> wherein each Q is -O-(O)C- or -C(O)-O-; n is 1 to 4; each R1 substituent is a short chain C1-C6 alkyl group, benzyl group or mixtures thereof; each R2 is a long chain C11-C21hydrocarbyl, or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent and the counterion, X-, can be any softener-compatible anion; wherein the biodegradable quaternary ammonium fabric softening compound is derived from C11-C21 fatty acyl groups having an Iodine Value of from greater than about 5 to less than about 100, a cis/trans isomer weight ratio of greater than about 30/70 when the Iodine Value is less than about 25, the level of unsaturation of the fatty acyl groups is less than about 65% by weight, the aqueous compositions being stable without nonionic viscosity modifiers when the concentration is less than or equal to 13%. |