Cyclical tensio-active polyethers

Cyclical tensio-active polyethers of the general formula:

• ##STR80## in which A is an amphiphile grouping selected from the group consisting of:
• (e) the grouping:
• ##STR81## where R.sub.4 refers to an alkyl radical having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, u refers to 0 or 1, w refers to 0 or 1, and Z refers to a grouping of atoms with hydrophile characteristics selected from the group consisting of:
• ##STR82## where x represents 1 or 2, y represents 2 or 3, and n represents a number from 1 to 20;
• (e.sub.1) the grouping:
• ##STR83## where each of j and k refer to a whole number or a fraction lower than 20, the sum j+k being between 1 and 20, u refers to 0 or 1, and R.sub.4 refers to an alkyl radical having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms;
• (f) the grouping:
• ##STR84## where L refers to a hydrogen atom and one of the groupings:
• --CH.sub.2 --CHOH--CH.sub.2 --(O).sub.q --R.sub.5
• where q refers to 0 or 1, ##STR85## the hydrogen atom and the other grouping being distributed is statistical fashion, R.sub.5 refers to a linear alkyl radical having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, p refers to a whole number or a fraction from 1 to 10 and represents an average statistical value, and Y refers to:
• ##STR86## (g) the grouping:
• ##STR87## where v refers to a whole number or a fraction from 0 to 20, R.sub.6 refers to a hydrogen atom or the radical --SO.sub.3 H, and R.sub.5 has the meaning indicated above;
• (h) the grouping (e) or (e.sub.1) wherein the thioether or sulphoxide grouping, or the tertiary amine grouping for (e) is alkylated by an alkylation agent selected from the group consisting of methyl bromide, methyl iodide and dimethyl sulphate;
• and
• (i) the grouping (f) wherein the thioether or sulphoxide grouping of (f) is alkylated by an alkylation agent selected from the group consisting of methyl bromide, methyl iodide and dimethyl sulphate.