Block polyesters and like compounds useful as soil release agents in detergent compositions

Compounds of formula:

• ##STR32## wherein each R.sup.1 moiety is a 1,4-phenylene moiety;
• the R.sup.2 moieties are each selected from the group consisting of ethylene moieties, 1,2-propylene moieties, 1,2 butylene moieties, 1,2 hexylene moieties, 3-methoxy-1,2-propylene moieties or mixtures thereof, provided that said R.sup.2 moieties are not exclusively 1,2 butylene moieties, 1,2 hexylene moieties, 3-methoxy-1,2-propylene moieties or mixtures thereof;
• the R.sup.3 moieties are each selected from the group consisting of substituted 1,3-phenylene moieties having the substituent ##STR33## at the 5-position;
• the R.sup.4 moieties are R.sup.1 or R.sup.3 moieties, or a mixture thereof;
• each X is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl;
• each n is from about 12 to about 43;
• when w is 0, u+v is from about 3 to about 10;
• when w is at least 1, u+v+w is from about 3 to about 10.

A detergent composition which comprises:

• (a) from about 1 to about 75% by weight of a nonionic, anionic, ampholytic, zwitterionic, or cationic detergent surfactant, or mixture thereof;
• and
• (b) a soil release component which comprises an effective amount of a soil release compound of the formula:
• X[(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n (OR.sup.5).sub.m ][(A--R.sup.1 --A--R.sup.2).sub.u (A--R.sup.3 --A--R.sup.2).sub.v ]A--R.sup.4 --A[(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n ]X
• wherein each of the A moieties is selected from the group consisting of ##STR34## and combinations thereof with either or both of the moieties ##STR35## each of the R.sup.1 moieties is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-phenylene and combinations thereof with 1,3-phenylene, 1,2-phenylene, 1,8-naphthylene, 1,4-naphthylene, 2,2'-biphenylene, 4,4'-biphenylene, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkenylene or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkylene, or mixtures thereof;
• the R.sup.2 moieties are each selected from the group consisting of ethylene moieties, substituted ethylene moieties having C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or alkoxy substituents or mixtures thereof;
• the R.sup.3 moieties are substituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.18 hydrocarbylene moieties having least one --COOM, --O[(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n ]X or --A[(R.sup.2 --A--R.sup.4 --A)--].sub.w [--(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n ]X substituent;
• the R.sup.4 moieties are R.sup.1 or R.sup.3 moieties, or a mixture thereof;
• each R.sup.5 is C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 alkylene, or the moiety --R.sup.2 --A--R.sup.6 --, wherein R.sup.6 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkylene, alkenylene, arylene or alkarylene moiety;
• each M is H or a water-soluble cation;
• each X is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl;
• m and n are numbers such that the moiety --(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O)-- comprises at least about 50% by weight of the moiety [(R.sup.5 O).sub.m (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n ], provided that when R.sup.5 is the moiety --R.sup.2 --A--R.sup.6 --, m is 1;
• each n is at least about 6;
• u and v are numbers such that the sum of u+v is from about 3 to about 25;
• w is 0 or at least 1;
• and when w is at least 1, u, v and w are numbers such that the sum of u+v+w is from about 3 to about 25.

Compounds of the formula:

• ##STR37## wherein R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of 1,2-propylene, ethylene, or mixtures thereof;
• each X is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl;
• each n is from about 12 to about 43;
• u is from about 3 to about 10.