Amphoteric surfactants having multiple hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups

A process for preparing compounds of the formula:

• ##STR12## wherein R.sub.1 can independently be C.sub.5 to about C.sub.22 alkyl or hydroxy-substituted or perfluorinated derivatives thereof, R.sub.2 represents C.sub.2 alkylene or hydroxy-substituted alkylene;
• B represents an amide group of the formula (--C(O)N(R.sub.5)), wherein R.sub.5 independently represents hydrogen and R.sub.3 can independently be C.sub.1 to about C.sub.10 alkylene and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof;
• R.sub.4 can independently be alkylene of 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof or R.sub.9 --D.sub.1 --R.sub.9 wherein R.sub.9 can independently be alkylene of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof as well as aryl, and D.sub.1 represents --(R.sub.10).sub.y (N(R.sub.10)).sub.z -- or aryl wherein R.sub.10 represents alkyl of from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms and the hydroxy substituted derivatives thereof or hydrogen, and y and z are independently numbers from 1 to about 4;
• and Y independently represents --SO.sub.3 H, --OSO.sub.3 H, --OP(O)(OH).sub.2, --P(O)(OH).sub.2, --COOH, --CO.sub.2 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --SO.sub.3 H and salts thereof, which comprises:
• a. reacting a polyamine of the formula
• VII. H.sub.2 NCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH--R.sub.4 --NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH.sub.2
• wherein R.sub.4 is alkyl or aminoalkyl with a fatty acid or ester or triglyceride thereof to form a bisimidazoline of the formula ##STR13## b. hydrolyzing the bisimidazoline to form a bisamidoamine of the formula
• XI. R.sub.1 C(O)HNCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH--R.sub.4 --NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH(O)CR.sub.1, and
• c. alkylating the bisamidoamine to form the compound identified above.

A cleaning composition comprising an aqueous solution having a cleaningly effective amount of a surfactant composition dissolved therein wherein said surfactant comprises compounds of the formula:

• wherein R.sub.1 can independently be C.sub.1 to about C.sub.22 alkyl or hydroxy-substituted or perfluorinated derivatives thereof, R.sub.2 can independently be C.sub.1 to about C.sub.12 alkylene or hydroxy-substituted alkylene;
• B is an amide group of formula R.sub.1 --C(O)N(R.sub.5)--R.sub.2 --, or a polyether group of the formula (--(O(R.sub.6 --O).sub.x --), R.sub.5 independently represents a lower alkyl or hydroxy-substituted alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons or hydrogen;
• and R.sub.6 independently represents about C.sub.2 to about C.sub.4 alkyl with x being a number between 1 and 20;
• R.sub.3 can independently be C.sub.1 to about C.sub.10 alkylene and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof or R.sub.7 --D--R.sub.7 or a polyether group (--(O(R.sub.6 --O).sub.x) wherein R.sub.6 is as defined hereinbefore and R.sub.7 can independently be C.sub.1 to about C.sub.6 alkylene and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof and D represents --O--, --S-- or --N(R.sub.9)-- wherein R.sub.8 independently represents C.sub.1 to about C.sub.12 alkyl and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof or hydrogen;
• R.sub.4 can independently be alkylene or alkylaryl of 1 to about 10 carbon atoms and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof or R.sub.9 --D.sub.1 --R.sub.9 wherein R.sub.9 can independently be alkylene of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms and the hydroxy-substituled derivatives thereof or aryl, and D.sub.1 represents --O--, --S--, --SO.sub.2 --, a carbonyl group, a polyether group (--O(R.sub.7 --O).sub.x --), --(R.sub.10).sub.y ›N(R.sub.10)!.sub.z -- or aryl wherein R.sub.10 represents alkyl of from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms and the hydroxy-substituted derivatives thereof or hydrogen, R.sub.7 being as defined hereinbefore with x being a number between 1 and 20 and y and z are independently numbers from 1 to about 4;
• and Y independently represents --SO.sub.3 h, --OSO.sub.3 H, --OP(O)(OH).sub.2, --P(O)(OH).sub.2, --COOH, --CO.sub.2 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --SO.sub.3 H and salts thereof together with an auxiliary additive.