Antimicrobial compositions containing solvents including a C3-C5 N-alkyl-gamma-butyrolactam

1. An antimicrobial composition comprising:

(a) an antimicrobially synergistic combination of compounds consisting of:

(i) from about 0.25% wt. of a first an antimicrobial agent consisting of at least one compound according to Formula 1:

wherein R1 is a branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, unsubstituted C3 to C5 alkyl chain or a C3 alkyl chain substituted with a methoxy group;

(ii) an effective amount of at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohols, dibasic esters, glyceryl ethers, and butyl 3-hydroxybutyrate; and

(iii) optionally, at least one additional antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof, anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, quaternary ammonium compounds, aldehydes, biquanides, mineral acids, antimicrobial metals, and mildew removing agents;

(b) a diluent, q.s. to 100;

wherein the at least one compound according to Formula 1 is effective to reduce the number of microbes on a surface by at least 50% when an effective amount of the antimicrobial composition is applied to the surface for a contact time of 10 minutes, and wherein the antimicrobial composition is substantially free of peroxygen compounds, antibiotics, N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), N-ethyl pyrrolidone (NEP), and chloroacetamide.

2. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein said at least one compound according to Formula 1 is selected from the group consisting of N-butyl-gamma-butyrolactam, N-isobutyl-gamma-butyrolactam, and N-methoxypropyl-gamma-butyrolactam.

3. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein said diluent is water.

4. The antimicrobial composition of claim 3 , further comprising an effective amount of a pH adjusting agent.

5. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of C1-C8 alcohols, cyclic alcohols, dialkyl succinates, glyceryl ethers, and butyl 3-hydroxybutyrate.

6. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propanol, butanol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, dimethyl succinate, ethylhexylglycerin, and butyl 3-hydroxybutyrate.

7. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein the carboxylic acids and salts thereof are selected from the group consisting of formic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, 2-furoic acid, mandelic acid, acetic acid, dimethylol propionic acid, gallic acid, malic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, sulfosalicylic acid, sulfosuccinic acid, glycolic acid, oxalic acid, propionic acid, maleic acid, ascorbic acid, neopentanoic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, and salts thereof.

8. The antimicrobial agent of claim 7 , wherein at least one of citric acid and salts thereof is present.

9. The antimicrobial composition of claim 7 , wherein at least one of formic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, 2-furoic acid, mandelic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, and salts thereof, is present.

10. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , wherein the anionic surfactants are selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfuric acids, alkyl ether sulfuric acids, alkyl sulfonic acids, alkyl aryl sulfonic acids, alkyl phosphoric acid esters, alkyl carboxylic acids, alkyl ether carboxylic acids, acylamino acids, and salts thereof.

11. The antimicrobial composition of claim 1 , further comprising an effective amount of at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of carbonate solvents, chelating agents, stabilizing agents, buffering agents, hydrotropes, skin conditioning agents, anti-foaming agents, builders, soil suspenders, anti-redeposition agents, brightening agents, radical scavengers, dyes, fragrances, rheology modifiers, emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, softening agents, anti-static agents, anti-wrinkling agents, dye transfer inhibition agents, color protection agents, odor removal agents, odor capturing agents, soil shielding agents, soil releasing agents, ultraviolet light protection agents, water repellency agents, insect repellency agents, anti-pilling agents, souring agents, film-forming agents, plasticizers, and allergicides.

12. The antimicrobial composition of claim 11 , wherein said at least one ingredient is selected from the group consisting of chelating agents, buffering agents, skin conditioning agents, hydrotropes, corrosion inhibitors, and fragrances.

13. An antimicrobial composition comprising:

(a) an antimicrobially synergistic combination of compounds consisting of:

(i) from about 0.25% wt. of an antimicrobial agent consisting of at least one compound according to Formula 1:

wherein R1 is a branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, unsubstituted C3 to C5 alkyl chain or a C3 alkyl chain substituted with a methoxy group;

(ii) an effective amount of at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of ethanol, propanol, butanol, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, dimethyl succinate, ethylhexylglycerin, and butyl 3-hydroxybutyrate;

(iii) an effective amount of at least one of citric acid and salts thereof; and

(iv) optionally, at least one additional antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids and salts thereof other than those recited in (iii), anionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, quaternary ammonium compounds, phenols, aldehydes, biguanides, mineral acids, glyceryl ethers other than those recited in (ii), phenethyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, cyclopentylmethanol, dimethyl adipate, 2-butoxyethanol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, butylene carbonate, glycerin carbonate, antimicrobial metals, and mildew removing agents;

(b) a diluent, q.s. to 100;

wherein at least one compound according to Formula 1 is effective to reduce the number of microbes on a surface by at least 50% when aneffective amount of the antimicrobial composition is applied to the surface for a contact time of 10 minutes, and wherein the antimicrobial composition is substantially free of peroxygen compounds, antibiotics, N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), N-ethyl pyrrolidone (NEP), and chloroacetamide.

14. The antimicrobial composition of claim 13 , wherein said at least one compound according to Formula 1 is selected from the group consisting of N-butyl-gamma-butyrolactam, N-isobutyl-gamma-butyrolactam, and N-methoxypropyl-gamma-butyrolactam.

15. The antimicrobial composition of claim 13 , wherein said diluent is water.

16. The antimicrobial composition of claim 15 , further comprising an effective amount of a pH adjusting agent.

17. The antimicrobial composition of claim 13 , wherein the carboxylic acids and salts thereof are selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, 2-furoic acid, mandelic acid, benzoic acid, formic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid and salts thereof.

18. The antimicrobial composition of claim 13 , wherein the anionic surfactants are selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfuric acids, alkyl ether sulfuric acids, alkyl sulfonic acids, alkyl aryl sulfonic acids, alkyl phosphoric acid esters, alkyl carboxylic acids, alkyl ether carboxylic acids, acylamino acids, and salts thereof.

19. The antimicrobial composition of claim 13 , further comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of carbonate solvents, chelating agents, stabilizing agents, buffering agents, hydrotropes, skin conditioning agents, anti-foaming agents, builders, soil suspenders, anti-redeposition agents, brightening agents, radical scavengers, dyes, fragrances, rheology modifiers, emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, softening agents, anti-static agents, anti-wrinkling agents, dye transfer inhibition agents, color protection agents, odor removal agents, odor capturing agents, soil shielding agents, soil releasing agents, ultraviolet light protection agents, water repellency agents, insect repellency agents, anti-pilling agents, souring agents, film-forming agents, plasticizers, and allergicides.