Amine-epichlorohydrin polymeric compositions

A cationic, water-soluble, amine-epichlorohydrin polymer prepared using a two-stage reaction process wherein about one mole of ammonia is reacted with about three moles of epichlorohydrin or about one mole of a primary amine having the formula RNH.sub.2 is reacted with about two moles of epichlorohydrin in the presence of a polar solvent comprising an alkyl alcohol containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and water, thus forming a polymeric precursor and subsequently reacting said precursor with a tertiary amine having the formula:

• ##STR6## wherein R represents a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 0 to 2 carbon to carbon double bonds, a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and one or more hydroxyl or chloro substituents, a saturated aryl group or a benzyl group;
• and wherein each of the R' groups independently represents a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms and 0 to 2 carbon to carbon double bonds, a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and one or more hydroxyl or chloro substituents, a saturated aryl group, or a benzyl group;
• R" represents a straight chain alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• X represents a polymethylene group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, ##STR7## -- CH.sub.2 -- CH.sub.2 -- O -- CH.sub.2 -- CH.sub.2 --;
• or -- CH.sub.2 -- CH.dbd.CH -- CH.sub.2 ;
• and salts of polymers, having tertiary amine groups.