Concentrated biodegradable quaternary ammonium fabric softener compositions and compouds containing intermediate iodine value unsaturated fatty acid chains

A quaternary ammonium compound having the structure:

• (R).sub.4-m --N.sup.+ --[(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.2 ].sub.m X.sup.-
• wherein
• each Y is --O--(O)C--;
• m is 2 or 3;
• n is 1 to 4;
• each R is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, benzyl group, or mixtures thereof;
• each R.sup.2 is a C.sub.11 -C.sub.21 hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent;
• and
• X.sup.- is any textile softener-compatible anion;
• wherein the compound is derived from C.sub.12 -C.sub.22 fatty acyl groups having an Iodine Value of from greater than about 20 to less than about 100 for optimum static control, the level of unsaturation of the fatty acyl groups is less than about 65% by weight, wherein said compounds are capable of forming concentrated aqueous compositions with concentrations greater than about 13% by weight without viscosity modifiers other than normal polar organic solvents present in the raw material of the compound or added electrolyte, and wherein any fatty acyl groups from tallow must be modified.

A quaternary ammonium compound having the structure:

• (R).sub.4-m --N.sup.+ --[(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Y--R.sup.2 ].sub.m X.sup.-
• wherein
• each Y is --O--(O)C--;
• m is 2 or 3;
• n is 1 to 4;
• each R is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, benzyl group, or mixtures thereof;
• each R.sup.2 is a C.sub.11 -C.sub.21 hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl substituent;
• and
• X.sup.- is any textile softener-compatible anion;
• wherein the compound is derived from C.sub.12 -C.sub.22 fatty acyl groups having an Iodine Value of from greater than about 5 to less than about 25 for optimum low temperature stability, and the cis/trans isomer weight ratio is greater than about 30/70.