Novel whitening agents for cellulosic substrates

A whitening agent for cellulosic substrates comprising:

• (a) at least one chromophore component that comprises a thiophene colorant, and
• (b) at least one polymeric component;
• wherein the whitening agent is characterized by the following structure:
• Wherein R1 and R2 can independently be selected from:
• a) [(CH2CR′HO)x(CH2CR″HO)yH]
• wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2O(CH2CH2O)zH, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein R″ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH2O(CH2CH2O)zH, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein x+y≦5;
• wherein y≧1;
• and
• wherein z=0 to 5;
• b) R1=alkyl, aryl or aryl alkyl and R2=[(CH2CR′HO)x(CH2CR″HO)yH]
• wherein R′ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2O(CH2CH2O)zH, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein R″ is selected from the group consisting of H, CH2O(CH2CH2O)zH, and mixtures thereof;
• wherein x+y≦10;
• wherein y≧1;
• and
• wherein z=0 to 5;
• c) R1=[CH2CH2(OR3)CH2OR4] and R2=[CH2CH2(OR3)CH2O R4]
• wherein R3 is selected from the group consisting of H, (CH2CH2O)zH, and mixtures thereof;
• and wherein z=0 to 10;
• wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of (C1-C16)alkyl, aryl groups, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• d) wherein R1 and R2 can independently be selected from the amino addition product of styrene oxide, glycidyl methyl ether, isobutyl glycidyl ether, isopropylglycidyl ether, t-butyl glycidyl ether, 2-ethylhexylgycidyl ether, and glycidylhexadecyl ether, followed by the addition of from 1 to 10 alkylene oxide units.