Process for preparation of Mannich condensation products useful as sequestering agents

A process for preparing a Mannich condensation product sequestering agent comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a reaction mixture by combining an aldehyde comprising:
• formaldehyde or an aldehyde having the formula
• wherein R′ is branched or linear alkyl having one carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having from about 3 carbon atoms to about 10 carbon atoms, aryl having from about 6 carbon atoms to about 10 carbon atoms, alkaryl having from about 7 carbon atoms to about 20 carbon atoms, or aralkyl having from about 7 carbon atoms to about 20 carbon atoms;
• with a polyalkyl-substituted hydroxyaromatic compound having the formula
• wherein R1 is polyalkyl of 280 to 5,000 molecular weight, R2 is hydrogen or lower alkyl having one carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms, and R3 is hydrogen or —OH, in the presence of a base;
• and
• (b) contacting the reaction mixture with an amino acid or the ester derivative thereof having the formula
• wherein W is —[CHR″]—m wherein each R″ is independently H, alkyl having one carbon atom to about 15 carbon atoms, or a substituted-alkyl having one carbon atom to about 10 carbon atoms and one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of amino, amido, benzyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, hydroxyphenyl, imidazolyl, imino, phenyl, sulfide, or thiol;
• m is an integer from one to 4, and A is hydrogen or alkyl having one carbon atom to about 6 carbon atoms;
• and
• a base to form the Mannich condensation product.