| abstract |
Novel nonionic gemini surfactants are extremely effective emulsifiers for oil-in-water emulsions that provide improved detergency at even low concentration levels. The surfactants are characterized by formula (I) wherein R1 is independently H or a C1 to C22 alkyl, R2 is H or C1 to C22 alkyl and R3 is D1-R4-D1 or R4-D1-R4 wherein R4 is independently a C1-C10 alkyl group, -C(O)-, -R5[O(EO)a(PO)b]-, -O-R5-O-, or aryl, e.g. phenyl, and D1 is independently -O-, -S-, -S-S-, -SO2-, -C(O)-, a polyether group [-O(EO)a(PO)b-], an amid group [-C(O)N(R6)-], an amino group [-N(R6)-], -O-R5-O-, or aryl. (EO)a(PO)b is a polyether group and Z is a C1-C4 alkyl, or an alkylaryl or hydrogen wherein EO represents ethylenoxy radicals, PO represents propyleneoxy radicals, a and b are numbers of from 0 to 100, a is preferably from about 0 to about 30 and b is preferably from about 0 to 10, wherein a plus b is at least one, and the EO and PO alkyl or alkylaryl. |