Fabric softening compounds and compositions

Abstract

A softening compound comprises a derivative of a cyclic polyol or a derivative of a reduced saccharide having, on average, 30 to 80% of its hydroxyl groups esterified and/or etherified, one or more long chain C8 to C22 alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl groups and one or more quaternary ammonium group, the C8 to C22 alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl group(s) being attached to an ester or ether group. Preferably the compound has two or more ester and/or ether groups. A fabric softening composition comprises from 1 to 80 wt % of the softening compound, based on the total weight of the composition. A method for forming such compounds comprises reacting a cyclic polyol or a reduced saccharide with a fatty acid and a halogen alkyl acid chloride to form an, at least partly, esterified cyclic polyol or reduced saccharide and then quaternising the esterified compound so as to form a CPED or RSED comprising a quaternary ammonium group.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.