Modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imines or modified alkoxylated polyamines

A modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imine or modified alkoxylated polyamine obtained by a process comprising the steps a) to e) as follows:

• a) reacting 1) at least one polyalkylene imine or at least one polyamine comprising in total a plurality of primary and secondary amino groups with 2) at least one first lactone (LA1) and/or at least one first hydroxy carbon acid (HA1), wherein 1 to 10 mol of lactone (LA1) and/or of hydroxy carbon acid (HA1) is employed per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, in order to obtain a first intermediate (I1),
• b) reacting the first intermediate (I1) (i) with at least one first alkylene oxide (AO1) or (ii) with a mixture of 1) at least one first alkylene oxide (AO1) with 2) at least one second lactone (LA2) and/or at least one second hydroxy carbon acid (HA2), wherein at least 5.0 mol of first alkylene oxide (AO1) and for the mixture additionally at least 1.0 mol of second lactone (LA2) and/or second hydroxy carbon acid (HA2) is employed per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, as employed in step a), in order to obtain a second intermediate (I2),
• c) optionally reacting the second intermediate (I2) (i) with at least one second alkylene oxide (AO2) or (ii) with a mixture of 1) at least one second alkylene oxide (AO2) with 2) at least one third lactone (LA3) and/or at least one third hydroxy carbon acid (HA3), wherein at least 5.0 mol of second alkylene oxide (AO2) and for the mixture additionally at least 1.0 mol of third lactone (LA3) and/or third hydroxy carbon acid (HA3) is employed per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, as employed in step a), in order to obtain a third intermediate (I3),
• d) optionally reacting the second intermediate (I2) or third intermediate (I3) with at least one fourth lactone (LA4) and/or at least one fourth hydroxy carbon acid (HA4), wherein at least 1.0 mol of fourth lactone (LA4) and/or fourth hydroxy carbon acid (HA4) is employed per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, as employed in step a), in order to obtain a fourth intermediate (I4), and
• e) optionally reacting the second intermediate (I2), third intermediate (I3) or fourth intermediate (I4) with at least one C1-C18 alkylation or esterification reagent, in order to obtain the modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imine or the modified alkoxylated polyamine,
• wherein the amount of second, third and/or fourth lactones and/or the amount of second, third and/or fourth hydroxy carbon acids is at least 1 mol per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, as employed in step a), and
• wherein the total amount of first, second, third and/or fourth lactones and/or the total amount of first, second, third and/or fourth hydroxy carbon acids is at least 2 mol per mol of NH-functionality of polyalkylene imine or polyamine, as employed in step a), and
• wherein
• (i) not more than 50% of the at least one second lactone (LA2), the at least one second hydroxy carbon acid (HA2), the at least one third lactone (LA3), the at least one third hydroxy carbon acid (HA3), the at least one fourth lactone (LA4) and the at least one fourth hydroxy carbon acid (HA4) are located terminally, and/or
• (ii) not more than 50% of the at least one second lactone (LA2), the at least one second hydroxy carbon acid (HA2), the at least one third lactone (LA3), the at least one third hydroxy carbon acid (HA3), the at least one fourth lactone (LA4) and the at least one fourth hydroxy carbon acid (HA4) are located adjacent to each other,
• wherein a mixture of 1) at least one alkylene oxide (AO1, AO2) with 2) at least one lactone (LA2, LA3) and/or at least one hydroxy carbon acid (HA2, HA3) is applied in at least one of the steps b) and/or c).