Enhanced solubilization using a combination of extended chain surfactants

An aqueous composition consisting of:

• (i) an extended chain anionic surfactant of formula (I)
• R-(L)x-(O—CH2-CH2)y-O—SO3-A (I) and
• (ii) an extended chain intermediate surfactant of formula (II)
• R-(L)x-(O—CH2-CH2)y-OH (II)
• wherein:
• R in the extended chain anionic surfactant of formula (I) is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having from about 6 to about 36 carbon atoms and R in the extended chain intermediate surfactant of formula (II) is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having from about 6 to about 36 carbon atoms;
• L is a linking group comprising a block of polypropylene oxide;
• A is selected from hydrogen, a monovalent metal cation, a divalent metal cation, ammonium cation and an organic group substituted ammonium cation;
• x is the average degree of alkoxylation of the linking group L ranging from about 2 to about 20;
• and
• y is the average degree of ethoxylation ranging from 1 to about 5, and
• the sum of x and y is in a range of from 6 to 24,
• (iii) water, and optionally
• (iv) one or more auxiliary components selected from:
• an inorganic base;
• an organic base;
• an antioxidizing agent selected from formalin, 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothaliazolin-one, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, carbamate, ascorbate, thiosulfate, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, and triethanolamine;
• a corrosion inhibitor selected from sodium metasilicate, an alkali metal silicate, a bismuth salt, a manganese salt, benzotriazole, pyrazole and mercaptan;
• an optical brightener selected from stilbene, pyrazoline, coumarin, a methinecyanine, dibenzothiophene-5,5-dioxide, and an azole;
• an antimicrobial agent selected from benzalkonium chloride, polyhexamethylene biguanide, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, hypochloride, and chlorine dioxide;
• copper sulfate;
• a suspending aid selected from a polysaccharide polymer, a polycarboxylate polymer thickener, a layered silicate platelet, castor wax, carboxymethylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxymethylcellulose;
• micro fibril cellulose, succinoglycan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tragacanth gum and succinoglucan gum;
• a chelating agent selected from an alkali metal ethane 1-hydroxy diphosphonate, an alkylene poly(alkylene phosphonate), an amino phosphonate compound, a radical scavenger selected from di-tert-butyl hydroxy toluene, hydroquinone, di-tert-butyl hydroquinone, mono-tert-butyl hydroquinone, tert-butyl-hydroxy anysole, catechol, t-butylcatechol, benzylamine, 1,1,3-tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl) butane and n-propyl-gallate;
• a colorant selected from Direct Blue 86, Fastusol Blue, Acid Orange 7, Basic Violet 10, Acid Yellow 23, Acid Yellow 17, Sap Green, Metanil Yellow, Acid Blue 9, Sandolan Blue/Acid Blue 182, Hisol Fast Red, Fluorescein, and Acid Green 25;
• a fragrance selected from ambergris, benzoin, castoreum, civet, clove oil, galbanum, jasmine, rosemary oil, sandalwood, orange oil, lemon oil, rose extract, lavender, musk, pine oil, and cedar;
• and an enzyme selected from a cellulase, a hemicellulase, a peroxidase, a protease, a gluco-amylase, an amylase, a lipase, a cutinase, a pectinase, a xylanase, a reductase, an oxidase, a phenoloxidase, a lipoxygenase, a ligninase, a pullulanase, a tannase, a pentosanase, a malanase, a beta-glucanase, and an arabinosidase.