Process for manufacturing aqueous compositions comprising peracids

• US 5,879,584 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Di Furia, Fulvio, Scialla, Stefano, Bianchetti, Giulia Ottavia, Campestrini, Sandro
• Primary Examiner(s): ANTHONY, JOSEPH DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/809,303
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 562/2, 562/3, 562/4, 252/186.22, 252/186.23, 252/186.38, 252/186.39, 510/312
• US Class Current: 252/186.23
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 407/00 Preparation of peroxy compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 409/24 the —O—O— group being bound between a >C=O group and hydrogen, i.e. peroxy acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 409/26 Peracetic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 1/8255 containing a combination of compounds differently alcoxylised or with differently alkylated chains
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions

Abstract

A process for manufacturing an aqueous composition of a peracid by reacting an acid anhydride with concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Preferably the aqueous peracid composition is further converted into an emulsion having improved stability wherein said emulsion contains a surfactant having an HLB above 11 and a surfactant having an HLB below 11.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an aqueous composition comprising a peracid, or mixture thereof, wherein said peracid is emulsified in a surfactant system comprising at least a hydrophilic surfactant having an HLB a bove 11, and a hydrophobic surfactant having an HLB below 11, said process comprising the steps of:

1--preparing an aqueous peracid-comprising composition by a process which comprises the step of forming said peracid by reacting the corresponding anhydride with a solution of hydrogen peroxide comprising at least about 3 moles of said hydrogen peroxide per molar equivalent of said corresponding anhydride, wherein said corresponding anhydride is selected from anhydrides having the following formula;

##STR4## wherein R₁ and R₂ are linear or branched alkyl groups having of from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, said anhydrides being symmetric anhydrides or asymmetric anhydrides;

-- preparing a hydrophobic mixture which comprises at least said hydrophobic surfactant;

3--preparing a hydrophilic mixture which comprises at least water and said hydrophilic surfactant;

4--mixing the composition obtained in step 1 in said hydrophilic mixture if said corresponding anhydride used in step 1 is an anhydride having the following formula;

##STR5## wherein R₁ and R₂ are linear or branched alkyl groups having of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, said anhydrides being symmetric anhydrides or asymmetric anhydrides or in said hydrophobic mixture if said corresponding anhydride used in step 1 is an anhydride having the following formula;

##STR6## wherein R₁ and R₂ are linear or branched alkyl groups having of from 5 to about 20 carbon atoms, said anhydrides being symmetric anhydrides or asymmetric anhydrides

-- then mixing together said hydrophobic mixture and said hydrophilic mixture, and wherein steps 2 and 3 may be performed in any order.

2. A process according to claim 1 for manufacturing an aqueous composition wherein said composition comprises from, about 0.01% to about 30% by weight of said peracid and from 0.5% to 20% by weight of said hydrogen peroxide.

3. A process according to claim 1 for manufacturing an aqueous composition wherein said composition comprises from about 0.1% to about 20% by weight of said peracid, and from 2% to 15% by weight of said hydrogen peroxide.

4. A process according to claim 1 for manufacturing an aqueous composition comprising a peracid, or mixtures thereof, wherein said peracid is emulsified in a surfactant system comprising at least a hydrophilic surfactant having an HLB above 12 and a nonionic surfactant having an HLB below 10.