Ligand and complex for catalytically bleaching a substrate

Abstract

The invention relates to ligands or complexes useful as catalysts for catalytically bleaching substrates with atmospheric oxygen, and as catalysts in the of treatment of textiles such as laundry fabrics whereby bleaching by atmospheric oxygen is catalysed after the treatment. The ligand is of the general formula: wherein R1, R2, and R3 independently represent a group selected from methyl, pyridin-2-yl, quinolin-2-yl, pyrazol-1-yl, 3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl, N-methyl-amido, and N-isopropyl-amido; provided at least two of R1, R2 and, R3 represent a coordinating group, the ligand being selected from: 1,4-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4-bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4-bis(pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4-bis(N-methylimidazol-2-ylmethyl)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4,7-tris(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; 1,4-bis(N-isopropylacetamido)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; and 1,4-bis(N-methylacetamido)-7-ethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.