Hydroxy mixed ethers and polymers in the form of solid preparations as a starting compound for laundry detergents, dishwashing detergents and cleaning compositions

1. A solid composition comprising (a) a hydroxy mixed ether of the formula (I):

wherein R 1 is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, R 2 is hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, R 3 is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, each of n1 and n2 independently is a number from 0 to 60 and m is 0 or a number from 0.5 to 5, with the provisos that the total number of carbon atoms in the substituents R 1 and R 2 is at east 6 and the sum (n1+m+n2) is greater than 0: (b) a polymer comprising units constituted from monomer units of the formula

wherein n3 is a number from 2 to 4, R 1a is hydrogen or a methyl group and each of R 2a , R 3a and R 4a is independently hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl or alkenyl group, X − is a halide anion or monoalkyl anion of sulfuric acid semiester; (c) optionally, a nonionic surfactant; (d) optionally, an inorganic or organic carrier; and (e) optionally, an auxiliary.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is a linear alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, n1 is 0, m is a number of 0.5 to 2 and n2 is a number of 20 to 40.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is a branched alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, each of n1 and m is 0 and n2 is a number from 20 to 40.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, R 2 is hydrogen, R 3 is a linear alkyl group having from 8 to 10 carbon atoms, each of n1 and m is 0 and n2 is a number from 40 to 60.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (b) comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polymer or copolymer of trialkylammonium alkyl (meth)acrylate, acrylamide, a dialkyldiallyl diammonium salt, a polymer analog reaction product of an ether or an ester of a polysaccharide containing ammonium side group, guar, cellulose and a starch derivative, a polyadduct of ethylene oxide with ammonium groups, polyesters and polyamides having quaternary side groups.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the ratio of (a) to (b) is from about 0.1:1 to about 1,000:1.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the ratio of (a) to (b) is from about 1:1 to about 100:1.

8. The composition of claim 6 wherein the ratio of (a) to (b) is from about 5:1 to about 50:1.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein having a residual moisture content equal to or less than 25% by weight.

10. The composition of claim 9 wherein the residual moisture content is equal to or less than 10% by weight.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant comprises a member selected from the group consisting of fatty alcohol polylgycol ethers of the formula (II):

R 4 O(CH 2 CHR 5 O) p1 H  (II)

wherein R 4 is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 6 to 22, R 5 is hydrogen or methyl and p1 is a number from 1 to 20; alkoxylated fatty acid lower alkyl esters of the formula (III):

R 6 CO—(OCH 2 CHR 7 ) p2 OR 8   (III)

wherein R 6 CO is a linear or branched, saturated and/or unsaturated acyl group having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R 7 is hydrogen or methyl, R 8 is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and p2 is a number from 1 to 20; alkyl or alkenyl oligoglycosides of the formula (IV):

R 9 O-[G] q   (IV)

wherein R 9 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms, G is a sugar unit having from 5 or 6 carbon atoms and p is a number from 1 to 10; mixed ethers of the formula (V)

R 10 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) r1 (CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O) s (CH 2 CH 2 O) r2 R 11   (V)

wherein R 10 is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R 11 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or a benzyl group, each of r1 and r2 is independently a number from 0 to 20, s is 0 or a number from about 0.5 to about 5, with the proviso that the sum (r1+r2+s) is greater than 0 and mixtures thereof.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of all nonionic surfactants is from 6 to 75% by weight and the total amount of inorganic or organic carriers is from 25 to 94% by weight.

13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of all nonionic surfactants is from 10 to 40% by weight and the total amount of inorganic or organic carriers is from 50 to 80% by weight.

14. A solid composition comprising (a) a hydroxy mixed ether of the formula (I)

wherein R 1 is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, R 2 is hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, R 3 is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl group having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, each of n1 and n2 independently is a number from 0 to 60 and m is 0 or a number from 0.5 to 5, with the provisos that the total number of carbon atoms in the substituents R 1 and R 2 is at least 6 and the sum (n1+m+n2) is greater than 0; (b) a polymer comprising units constituted from monomer units of the formula

wherein n3 is a number from 2 to 4, R 1a is hydrogen or a methyl group and each of R 2a , R 3a and R 4a is independently hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl or alkenyl group, X − is a halide anion or a monoalkyl anion of sulfuric acid semiester; (c) an auxiliary comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of an anionic cosurfactant, a cobuilder, an oil- and fat-dissolving substance, a bleaching agent, a bleach activator, redeposition inhibitors, enzymes, enzyme stabilizers, optical brighteners, defoamers, disintegrators, perfumes, inorganic salts and (d) a carrier comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of a zeolite, an alkali metal sulfate, an alkali metal phosphate, an alkali metal carbonate, an alkali metal hydrogen carbonate, an alkali metal silicate, an alkali metal citrate, a cellulose, a carboxymethyl cellulose, a cyclodextrin, a starch, a starch degradation product and a polyacrylate.

15. The composition of claim 14 wherein the weight ratio of (a+b+c)/(d) is from about of 1:1 to about 1:40.

16. A process for the production of the composition of claim 1 comprising mixing together a hydroxy mixed ether, a carrier and a polymer, and optionally an additional nonionic surfactant and optionally an auxiliary.

17. A process for the production of the composition of claim 1 comprising coating the surface of a carrier with a hydroxy mixed ether, a polymer, and optionally an additional nonionic surfactant and optionally an auxiliary.