- 2014-12-01 (x)
- 2006-10-06 (x)
- Willey, Alan David (x)
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention is in the field of laundry detergents having photobleach systems comprising hydrophobic phthalocyanines and water-soluble polymers. The field includes preparations and methods of use of the compositions to successfully deposit the photobleaches on fabrics despite presence of detersive surfactants which tend to remove these photobleaches. Background of the invention: Delivery of photobleaching benefits through laundry detergents is technically difficult. Even when a photobleach is free from multiple issues such as overhueing, poor photophysics, localized staining tendency, unacceptable color, uneven deposition etc., its inclusion and successful delivery to fabrics from a composition which contains detersive surfactants is problematic. Unlike many other technical fields in which photoactive compounds may easily be used, the field of laundry detergents involves surfactants designed to aggressively clean fabrics, to suspend soil, and not to deposit materials such as photobleaches. Even when many water-soluble polymers and surfactants are known to be useful in detergent compositions, there remains appreciable difficulty to select and combine hydrophobic photobleaches, polymers and surfactants appositely so that the resulting detergent composition delivers a properly performing photobleach system with a minimum of the aforementioned issues, to the fabrics being laundered. Historically, in efforts to arrive at directly formulatable photobleaches, photobleach types have been developed which include charged groups and/or water-soluble features, such as in the sulfonated zinc phthalocyanines. Since these are charged, water-soluble materials, they differ from non-charged, water-insoluble materials, especially with respect to their interaction with common anionic and nonionic detersive surfactants. Most recently, certain hydrophobic, non-charged photobleach types have been developed. These include non-charged photobleaches disclosed in WO 98/32832 A, WO 98/32829 A, WO 98/32828 A, WO 98/32827 A, WO 98/32826 A, WO 98/32825 A, and WO 98/32824 A all published Jul. 30, 1998; and WO 97/05203 A and WO 97/05202 published Feb. 13, 1997. Such materials have superior properties as photobleaches. They can, for example, include superoxide generation, or be relatively low-hueing, or can be particularly useful on hydrophobic soils. It is an object of the present invention to provide improved photobleach delivery systems, especially types wherein the photobleach is hydrophobic; novel laundry detergent compositions comprising such systems; processes for preparing the photobleach delivery systems and/or the final detergent compositions; and methods of use of the formed detergent compositions. These and other objects are accomplished herein as will be seen from the following disclosure. Background Articles: See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,248; U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,778; U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,602; Derwent 93-032275; EP-284,370 A; EP-296,876
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6462008
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to novel organotin, organogermanium, organoplatinum, organopalladium, organolead, or organophosphorous photosensitizing compounds having a Q-band maximum absorption wavelength of 660 nanometers or greater and their use as photoactivators (photosensitizer) or singlet oxygen producers, in particular for low hue photobleaching for removing stains from textiles and hard surfaces. The present invention also relates to laundry compositions and hard surface cleaners comprising the novel organotin, organogermanium, organoplatinum, organopalladium, organolead, or organophosphorous photosensitizing compounds of the present invention. The present invention further relates to a method of delivering compositions comprising low hue photobleaches to soiled and stained fabrics and to hard surfaces. Background of the invention: It is known that certain water-soluble phthalocyanine, naphthalocyanine, and metallocyanine compounds can be used as photobleaching and anti-microbial agents. Phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines or their metal complexes can form "singlet oxygen" an oxidative species capable of reacting with stains to bleach them to a colorless and usually water-soluble state. There are many examples of phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines photobleaches, the most common being the zinc and aluminum phthalocyanines. In the literature the term "photosensitizer" is often used instead of "photoactivator" and may therefore be considered as standing equally well for the latter term used throughout this specification. The prior art teaches phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds having the general structure ##STR1##where Me is a transition or non-transition metal, (Sens.) is a phthalocyanine or naphthalocyanine ring which, when combined with a suitable Me unit, is capable of undergoing photosensitization of oxygen molecules, R units are substituent groups which are bonded to the photosensitization ring units (Sens.) to enhance the solubility or photochemical properties of the molecule, and Y units are substituents associated with the metal atom, for example, anions to provide electronic neutrality. The selection of a particular substituent R unit for substitution into the molecule has been the focus of many years of research and these units are typically chosen by the formulator to impart into the target molecule the desired level of water solubility. A major limitation to the use of phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds for fabric photobleaching is the fact that these molecules are highly colored materials. A second limitation is that the compounds are not inherently water soluble. It has therefore been the task of phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine photobleach formulators to provide water soluble photobleaches without adversely affecting their photochemical properties.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6417150
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to hybrid metallocyanine photosensitizers and mixtures thereof useful in laundry detergent compositions as low hue photobleaches. The present invention also relates to compositions for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces. The present invention further relates to methods for photobleaching fabrics and to methods for disinfecting hard surfaces. Background of the invention: It is known that certain water-soluble phthalocyanine, naphthalocyanine, and metallocyanine compounds can be used as photobleaching and anti-microbial agents. Phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines or their metal complexes can form "singlet oxygen" an oxidative species capable of reacting with stains to bleach them to a colorless and usually water-soluble state. There are many examples of phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines photobleaches, the most common being the zinc and aluminum phthalocyanines. In the literature the term "photosensitizer" is often used instead of "photoactivator" and may therefore be considered as standing equally well for the latter term used throughout this specification. The prior art teaches phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds having the general structure ##STR1##where Me is a transition or non-transition metal, (Sens.) is a phthalocyanine or naphthalocyanine ring which, when combined with a suitable Me unit, is capable of undergoing photosensitization of oxygen molecules, R units are substituent groups which are bonded to the photosensitization ring units (Sens.) to enhance the solubility or photochemical properties of the molecule, and Y units are substituents associated with the metal atom, for example, anions to provide electronic neutrality. The selection of a particular substituent R unit for substitution into the molecule has been the focus of many years of research and these units are typically chosen by the formulator to impart into the target molecule the desired level of water solubility. A major limitation to the use of phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds for fabric photobleaching is the fact that these molecules are highly colored materials. Phthalocyanines have Q-band absorption in the range of 600-700 nanometers, while naphthalocyanines have Q-band absorption in the 700-800 nanometer range. Typically, cyanine rings are formed from four "monomer units" which are reacted together to form a macro cyclic cyanine ring. For example, four equivalents of ortho-dicyanobenzene react together to form the unsubstituted cyanine ring known as phthalocyanine. Cyanine rings comprised of four identical "monomer units" are, for the purposes of the present invention, defined as "homogeneous" cyanine rings. The properties of many substituted and homogeneous non-hybrid cyanines are well known in the art.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6413924
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to photochemical singlet oxygen generators having a photon harvester moiety which enhances the singlet oxygen yield of the generator without adversely affecting the remaining properties of the molecule. The photochemical singlet oxygen generators described herein are useful in laundry detergent compositions or hard surface cleaning compositions as bleaching agents or anti-microbial agents. The present invention also relates to methods for bleaching fabrics and cleaning hard surfaces with the photochemical singlet oxygen generators. Background of the invention: It is known that certain water soluble phthalocyanine and naphtalocyanine, mixed cyanine and metallocyanine compounds can be used as photobleaching and anti-microbial agents. Phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines or their metal complexes can form "singlet oxygen". Singlet oxygen can be formed by chemical as well as photochemical processes. Singlet oxygen is a highly oxidative species capable of reacting with substances, for example, with stains on a fabric to bleach them to a colorless and usually water-soluble state. There are many examples of phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines photobleaches, the most common being the zinc and aluminum phthalocyanines. In the literature the term "photosensitizer" is often used instead of "photoactivator" and may therefore be considered as standing equally well for the latter term used throughout this specification. The prior art teaches phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds having the general structure ##STR1##where Me is a tnansition or non-transition metal, (Sens.) is a phthalocyanine or naphthalocyanine ring which, when combined with a suitable Me unit, is capable of undergoing photosensitization of oxygen molecules, R units are substituent groups which are bonded to the photosensitization ring units (Sens.) to enhance the solubility or photochemical properties of the molecule, and Y units are substituents associated with the metal atom, for example, anions to provide electronic neutrality. It has been a task of formulators of photobleaches to modify the properties of the (Sens.) unit of the molecule to increase the quantum efficiency and/or the water solubility. Typically this has been accomplished by substitution on the photochemical (Sens.) ring. However, substituents that improve one property may have a negative effect on the other. Consequently it has proven difficult to provide photobleaches which are water soluble and efficient. Surprisingly, it has been found that the compounds of the present invention allow formulators to increase the photoefficiency of the singlet oxygen generators while being able to maintain the other parameters of the molecule. In addition, the solubility of the photochemical singlet oxygen generator can be modified without producing an undesired effect in the photophysics of the molecule.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6297207
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to photochemical singlet oxygen generators having a cationic axial substituent which enhances the substantivity of said singlet oxygen generators for fabric surfaces. The photochemical singlet oxygen generators described herein are useful in laundry detergent compositions as bleaching agents. The present invention also relates to methods for bleaching fabrics with the photochemical singlet oxygen generators. Background of the invention: It is known that certain water soluble phthalocyanine, naphthalocyanine, mixed cyanine and metallocyanine compounds can be used as photobleaching and anti-microbial agents. Phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanine, mixed cyanine and metallocyanines can form "singlet oxygen".Singlet oxygen can be formed by chemical as well as photochemical processes. Singlet oxygen is a highly oxidative species capable of reacting with substances, for example, with stains on a fabric to bleach them to a colorless and usually water-soluble state. There are many examples of phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines photobleaches, the most common being the zinc and aluminum phthalocyanines. In the literature the term "photosensitizer" is often used instead of "photoactivator" and may therefore be considered as standing equally well for the latter term used throughout this specification. The prior art teaches phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine compounds having the general structure ##STR1##where Me is a transition or non-transition metal (Sens.) is a phthalocyanine or naphthalocyanine ring which, when combined with a suitable Me unit, is capable of undergoing photosensitization of oxygen molecules, R units are substituent groups which are bonded to the photosensitization ring units (Sens.) to enhance the solubility or photochemical properties of the molecule, and Y units are substituents associated with the metal atom, for example, anions to provide electronic neutrality. It has been a task of formulators of photobleaches to modify the properties of the (Sens.) unit of the molecule to increase the quantum efficiency without reducing the water solubility. Typically this has been accomplished by substitution on the photochemical (Sens.) ring. However, substitution on the macrocyclic ring is frequently difficult and can adversely affect other photobleach properties such as color, substantivity and photoefficiency. Surprisingly, it has been found that the compounds of the present invention allow formulators to increase the photoefficiency of the singlet oxygen generators without adversely affecting the other parameters of the molecule. In addition, the substantivity of the photochemical singlet oxygen generator for fabric surface can be modified without producing an undesired effect in the photophysics of the molecule.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6407049
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Show moreField of the invention: The present invention relates to photochemical superoxide generators and their use in laundry compositions and hard surface cleaning compositions comprising one or more of said photochemical superoxide generators, effective as a bleaching agent, stain remover, or bactericide. The present invention also relates to methods for cleaning fabric or hard surfaces, and for providing a means of sanitizing fabric or hard surfaces. Background of the invention: It is known that certain water-soluble phthalocyanine, naphthalocyanine, mixed cyanine, and metallocyanine compounds can be used as photobleaching and antimicrobial agents. Phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines or their metal complexes can form "singlet oxygen" an oxidative species capable of reacting with stains to bleach them to a colorless and usually water-soluble state. It has now been surprisingly found that certain porphyrin, metalloporphyrin, phthalocyanine, naphthalocyanine, mixed cyanine, and metallocyanine compounds can photochemically produce superoxide. Superoxide is typically formed via non-photochemical means from the disproportionation of alkali and alkaline earth metal superoxides. Superoxide is a reactive oxygen species formed by the one electron reduction of oxygen, has a longer lifetime than singlet oxygen and is capable of decolorizing (bleaching) stains and killing bacteria. Throughout this application superoxide is represented as O.sub.2.sup.- based on common literature practice. Surprisingly, it has been found that superoxide can be efficiently produced by photochemical means. Certain photosensitizing units which comprise a moiety capable of transfering an electron to the photochemically excited .pi. electron cloud of the photosensitizer unit, are capable of producing superoxide. Preferably the photosensitizers, preferably porphyrins, metalloporphyrins, cyanines, and metallocyanines, and have the electron transfering moiety covalently attached. It is therefore an aspect of the present invention to provide novel materials that photochemically produce superoxide. These materials are photosensitizing units which have covalently attached a moiety capable of transfering an electron to the excited state of the aforementioned photosensitizer. The superoxide produced by these compounds is useful in that the superoxide molecules are capable of acting as bleaching materials or as antimicrobials. It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide laundry detergent and hard surface cleaning compositions comprising the aforementioned superoxide generators. In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a method for removing stains from fabric and for killing bacteria as well as preventing the re-propagation of said bacteria is herein provided.
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6225273
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