Novel non-staining red colorants and liquid fabric softener formulations comprising such non-staining colorants

#This invention relates to fabric softener compositions comprising certain red colorants that exhibit excellent deep, dark red colorations (for aesthetic purposes) and mix very well with other colorants to provide differing red shades and tints therein, which simultaneously exhibit very low, if any staining capabilities on fabrics treated therewith. Such deep and dark red colorations have heretofore been unavailable within fabric softener formulations due to the tendency of such prior colorants to exhibit unacceptable staining levels, particularly when formulated at similar deep and dark shades as now provided within the inventive low-staining formulations. Apparently, and quite unexpectedly, the colorants present therein interact favorably with quaternary ammonium salt softening agents in a manner to prevent reaction with the fibers of the treated fabrics themselves, thereby preventing staining thereon and therein. Such novel red-colored or -tinted fabric softener formulations, as well as any other quatemary-ammonium salt-containing red-colored or -tinted compositions are encompassed within this invention.

#All U.S. and foreign patents cited within this specification are hereby incorporated by reference.

#Fabric softeners have been provided as colored formulations for aesthetic reasons and brand identity. Although white and/or clear compositions have been commercialized in the past as well, the modem consumer often prefers attractively colored cleaning, etc., products.

#Twenty grams of Aniline (20 EO) diacetate were charged to a 1L 4-neck flask and heated to 50° C. while stirring. To that was added 19.5 grams of DMF and 1.4 acetic anhydride. The temperature was then kept between 40 and 50° C. for 2 more hours. To this composition was added 17.4 POCl3 at a rate to keep the temperature from rising. Once the addition was complete, the temperature was elevated to 90° C. and held there for an hour-and-a-half. Subsequently, the resultant mixture was cooled to 40° C. and 240 grams of water were then added at a rate to keep the temperature below 50° C. After allowing the mixture to cool again to 40° C., 50% KOH (caustic) was then added (41.7 g) in order to adjust the pH to a level between 4.5 and 5.0. The reaction was then heated to 70° C., at which point the mixture was removed from heat, poured into a separatory funnel and allow to phase separate. The salt layer resulting therefrom was then drained, leaving the product layer of the formylation step.

#Subsequently, 19 grams of Fisher's Base was then charged to the resultant product from above and the mixture was then heated to 50° C. Acetic acid (74 g) was then added to the reaction at a rate to keep the temperature below 60° C., after which the reaction was heated to 70° C. and held there for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was then cooled to 50° C. for 2 more hours, after which the absorptivity was measured to check for complete reaction of the two components. The resultant mixture was then neutralized to pH 4-5 with muriatic acid and provided a deep red liquid colorant.

#Compositions Including the Colorants from the Examples Above