Process for the manufacture of alkylamino alkylene phosphonic acids

1. A process for the manufacture of alkylamino alkylene phosphonic acids having the formula:

U—[X—N(W)(ZPO 3 M 2 )] s

by reacting a phosphonic acid compound having the formula:

Y—X—N(W)(ZPO 3 M 2 )

with a precursor of the moiety:

U

the structural elements having the following meaning:

Y is selected from: substituents the conjugated acid of which have a pKa equal to or smaller than 4.0;

X is selected from C 2 -C 50 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chains, optionally substituted by a C 1 -C 12 linear, branched, cyclic, or aromatic group, (which chain and/or which group can be) optionally substituted by OH, COOH, F, OR′, R 2 O[AO] x wherein R 2 is a C 1 -C 50 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain, and SR′ moieties, wherein R′ is a C 1 -C 50 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain, optionally substituted by C 1 -C 12 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon groups, (said chains and/or groups can be) optionally substituted by COOH, OH, F, OR′ and SR′; and [A-O] x -A wherein A is a C 2 -C 9 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain and x is an integer from 1 to 200;

Z is a C 1 -C 6 alkylene chain;

M is selected from H and C 1 -C 20 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chains;

W is selected from H, ZPO 3 M 2 and [V—N(K)] n K, wherein V is selected from: a C 2 -C 50 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain, optionally substituted by C i -C 12 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic groups, (which chains and/or groups can be) optionally substituted by OH, COOH, F, OR′, R 2 O[A-O] x — wherein R 2 is a C 1 -C 50 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain, and SR′ moieties; and from [A-O] x -A wherein A is a C 2 -C 9 linear, branched, cyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon chain and x is an integer from 1 to 200;

K is ZPO 3 M 2 or H and n is an integer from 0 to 200; and

U is a moiety selected from NH 2 , NHR′, N(R′) 2 , NH, N, S, SH, and S—S wherein R′ is as defined above;

s is 1 in the event U stands for NH 2 , NHR′, N(R′) 2 , or HS; s is 2 in the event U stands for NH, S or S—S; and s is 3 in the event U stands for N;

in aqueous medium, having a pH of 8 or more, at a temperature of 0° C. or higher.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pH of the reaction medium is in the range of from 9-14.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein X is selected from C 2 -C 30 or [A-O] x -A wherein A is C 2 -C 6 and x is from 1-100.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the individual moieties in the phosphonate reaction partner are selected as follows: X is C 2 -C 30 or [A-O] x -A; V is C 2 -C 30 or [A-O] x -A; wherein for both, X and V independently, A is C 2 -C 6 and x is 1-100; R 2 is C 1 -C 30 ; Z is C 1 -C 3 ; M is H or C 1 -C 6 ; and n is 1-00.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein U is selected from: NH 2 ; NHR′; N(R′) 2 ; NH; and N.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the individual moieties in the phosphonate reaction partner are selected as follows: X is C 2 -C 12 or [A-O] x -A; V is C 1 -C 12 or [A-O] x -A; wherein for both, X and V independently, A is C 2 -C 4 and x is 1-100; R 2 is C 1 -C 12i Z is C 1 ; M is H or C 1 -C 4 and n is 1-25.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the precursor for U is selected from: NH 3 ; NH 2 R′; NH(R′) 2 ; Na2S; thiourea; and Na 2 S 2 .

8. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein Y is selected from Cl, Br, I, HSO 4r NO 3 , CH 3 SO 3 and p-toluene sulfonate.