Alkyl polyglycoside compositions having reduced viscosity and inhibited crystallization

A process for reducing the viscosity of an aqueous alkyl polyglycoside solution having at least about 50% by weight of alkyl polyglycoside, comprising adding to said alkyl polyglycoside solution a viscosity reducing amount within the range from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a composition which is the product of the process which consist essentially of reacting epichlorohydrin and a compound of the formula II;

• R.sub.3 (EO).sub.n (PO).sub.m OH (II)
• wherein R.sub.3 is an alkyl, alkenyl or arenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;
• wherein n is a number from 0 to 50 and m is a number from 0 to 10;
• wherein the mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to (II) is from about 0.60/1 to about 2/1;
• and wherein (EO) defines an ethylene oxide unit and (PO) defines a propylene oxide unit, and the alkyl polyglycoside is a compound of formula I;
• R.sub.1 O(R.sub.2 O).sub.b (Z).sub.a (I)
• wherein R.sub.1, is a monovalent organic radical having from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.2 is a divalent alkylene radical having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms;
• Z is a saccharide residue having 5 to 6 carbon atoms;
• b is a number having a value from 0 to about 12;
• a is a number having a value from 1 to about 6.

A process for preventing the crystallization of solids from an aqueous alkyl polyglycoside solution having at least about 50% by weight of alkyl polyglycoside, comprising adding to said alkyl polyglycoside solution a solid crystallization prevention amount within the range from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a composition which is the product of the process which consists essentially of reacting epichlorohydrin and a compound of the formula II;

• R.sub.3 (EO).sub.n (PO).sub.m OH (II)
• wherein R.sub.3 is an alkyl, alkenyl or arenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;
• wherein n is a number from 0 to 50 and m is a number from 0 to 10;
• wherein the mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to (II) is from about 0.60/1 to about 2/1;
• and wherein (EO) defines an ethylene oxide unit and (PO) defines a propylene oxide unit.

A process for reducing the viscosity of an aqueous alkyl polyglycoside solution having at least about 50% by weight of alkyl polyglycoside, comprising adding to said alkyl polyglycoside solution a viscosity reducing amount within the range from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a composition which consist of the reaction product of epichlorohydrin and a compound of the formula II;

• R.sub.3 (EO).sub.n (PO).sub.m OH (II)
• wherein R.sub.3 is an alkyl, alkenyl or arenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;
• wherein n is a number from 0 to 50 and m is a number from 0 to 10;
• wherein the mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to (II) used to form the reaction product is from about 0.60/1 to about 2/1;
• and wherein (EO) defines an ethylene oxide unit and (PO) defines a propylene oxide unit, and the alkyl polyglycoside is a compound of formula I;
• R.sub.1 O(R.sub.2 O).sub.b (Z).sub.a (I)
• wherein R.sub.1, is a monovalent organic radical having from about 6 to about 30 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.2 is a divalent alkylene radical having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms;
• Z is a saccharide residue having 5 to 6 carbon atoms;
• b is a number having a value from 0 to about 12;
• a is a number having a value from 1 to about 6.

A composition comprising an aqueous alkyl polyglycoside solution having at least about 50% by weight of alkyl polyglycoside, and a viscosity-reducing effective amount within the range from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a composition which consist of the reaction product of epichlorohydrin and a compound of the formula II;

• R.sub.3 (EO).sub.n (PO).sub.m OH (II)
• wherein R.sub.3 is an alkyl, alkenyl or arenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;
• wherein n is a number from 0 to 50 and m is a number from 0 to 10;
• wherein the mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to (II) is from about 0.60/1 to about 2/1;
• and wherein (EO) defines an ethylene oxide unit and (PO) defines a propylene oxide unit.

A composition comprising an aqueous alkyl polyglycoside solution having at least about 50% by weight of alkyl polyglycoside, and a crystallization-preventive effective amount within the range from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a composition which consist essentially of the reaction product of epichlorohydrin and a compound of the formula II;

• R.sub.3 (EO).sub.n (PO).sub.m OH (II)
• wherein R.sub.3 is an alkyl, alkenyl or arenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms;
• wherein n is a number from 0 to 50 and m is a number from 0 to 10;
• wherein the mole ratio of epichlorohydrin to (II) is from about 0.60/1 to about 2/1;
• and wherein (EO) defines an ethylene oxide unit and (PO) defines a propylene oxide unit.