Amine oxide process and composition

• US 4,970,340 A
• Filed: 01/23/1986
• Issued: 11/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ethyl Corporation (Newmarket Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Kim R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hines, Robert V.
• Application Number:
  US06/821,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 564/298
• US Class Current: 564/298
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/40 containing nitrogen quinones containing nitrogen A61K8/355
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 5/02 Preparations for cleaning the hair
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 5/12 Preparations containing hair conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 291/04 containing amino-oxide bonds

Abstract

A highly concentrated aqueous solution of a di-C_6-20 alkyl methylamine oxide containing at least 50 weight percent of the amine oxide can be made without gel formation by reacting at least 40 weight percent aqueous hydrogen peroxide with a di-C_6-20 alkyl methyl or ethylamine. These concentrated solutions offer large freight savings in shipping the amine oxides to remote locations.

Claims

1. A process for making a concentrated aqueous gel-free solution of a di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide containing 50-80 weight percent of said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide, said process consisting essentially of reacting a di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine with at least a stoichiometric amount of aqueous hydrogen peroxide containing initially at least 40 weight percent H₂ O₂.

2. A process of claim 1 wherein said aqueous hydrogen peroxide is about 50 weight percent H₂ O₂.

3. A process of claim 1 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine is dioctylmethylamine.

4. A process of claim 3 wherein said aqueous hydrogen peroxide is about 50 weight percent H₂ O₂.

5. A process of claim 1 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine is didecylmethylamine.

6. A process of claim 5 wherein said aqueous hydrogen peroxide is about 50 weight percent H₂ O₂.

7. A process of claim 1 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine is didodecylmethylamine.

8. A process of claim 7 wherein said aqueous hydrogen peroxide is about 50 weight percent H₂ O₂.

9. A gel-free aqueous solution of a tert-amine oxide, said solution consisting essentially of less than 50 weight percent water and at least 50 weight percent of a di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide.

10. An aqueous solution of claim 9 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide is di-C₈ -C₁₀ alkyl methylamine oxide.

11. An aqueous solution of claim 9 consisting essentially of less than 40 weight percent water and at least 60 weight percent of said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide.

12. An aqueous solution of claim 11 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide is a di-C_8-10 alkyl methylamine oxide.

13. An aqueous solution of claim 9 consisting essentially of less than 30 weight percent water and at least 70 weight percent of said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide.

14. An aqueous solution of claim 13 wherein said di-C_6-12 alkyl methylamine oxide is a di-C_8-10 alkyl methylamine oxide.

15. An aqueous solution of claim 14 wherein said di-C_8-10 alkyl methylamine oxide is di-n-octyl methylamine oxide.

16. An aqueous solution of claim 14 wherein said di-C_8-10 alkyl methylamine oxide is di-n-decyl methylamine oxide.

17. An aqueous solution of claim 14 wherein said di-C_8-10 alkyl methylamine oxide is a mixture of di-alkyl methylamine oxides in which the alkyl groups are both n-octyl and n-decyl.