Copolymers useful as rheology modifiers and home and personal care compositions comprising said copolymers

1. An aqueous personal care, household care, or fabric care composition comprising an effective amount of at least one copolymer of formula (II)

wherein

e, f, g, and h represent the percentage by weight that each repeating unit or derived monomer is contained within the copolymer;

e, f, g, and h add up to total substantially 100 weight percent relative to the total weight of the copolymer;

e is from about 20% to about 80% by weight of the copolymer;

f is from about 20% to about 80% by weight of the copolymer;

g is from about 1% to about 15% by weight of the copolymer;

h is from about 1% to about 15% by weight of the copolymer;

* is a terminal catalyst residue;

E is 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate or salt thereof;

F is a hydrophobic nonionic vinyl monomer selected from the group consisting of ethyl (meth) acrylate and methyl (meth)acrylic and mixtures thereof;

G and H are an associative- vinyl monomer selected from the group consisting of cetyl polyethoxylated methacrylate (CEM), cetearyl polyethoxylated methacrylate (CSEM),stearyl polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, arachidyl polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, behenyl polyethoxylated methacrylate (BEM), lauryl polyethoxylated methacrylate (LEM), cerotyl polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, monthanyl polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, melissyl polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, lacceryl polyethoxylated (meth) acrylate, tristyryl phenolpolyethoxylated methacrylate (TEM), hydrogenated castor oil polyethoxylated methacrylate (HCOEM), canola polyethoxylated (meth)acrylate, and cholesterol polyethoxylated methacrylate (CHEM),

E, F, G, and H are covalently attached to each other;

with the proviso that G and H are not the same and

optionally one or more crosslinking monomers.

2. A composition according to claim 1 where the copolymer of formula (II) is present in the personal care, household care, or fabric care composition in a concentration of about 0.0001 weight percent to about 50 weight percent based on the total composition by weight.

3. A composition according to claim 2 where the copolymer of formula (II) is present in the personal care, household care, or fabric care composition in a concentration of about 0.01 weight percent to about 25 weight percent based on the total composition by weight.

4. A composition according to claim 3 where the copolymers of formula (II) are present in the personal care, household care, or fabric care composition in a concentration of about 0.1 weight percent to about 7 weight percent based on the total composition by weight.

5. A composition according to claim 4 where the copolymers of formula (II) is present in the personal care, household care, or fabric care composition in a concentration of about 0.2 weight percent to about 5 weight percent based on the total composition by weight.

6. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the copolymers of formula (II) comprises a weight average molecular weight from about 1,000 to about 10 million.

7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein the copolymer of formula (II) comprises a weight average molecular weight from about 25,000 to about 5 million.

8. A composition according to claim 7 wherein the copolymers of formula (II) comprises a weight average molecular weight from about 50,000 to about 2 million.

9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein the copolymers of formula (II) comprises a weight average molecular weight from about 50,000 to about one million Daltons.

10. A composition according to claim 1 further comprising at least one dye, at least one pigment, or mixtures thereof.

11. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the personal care compositions are selected from the group consisting of hair care products, skin care products, antiaging products, skin protectants, skin color products, hair colorants, pigmented skin colorants bath and shower products, nail care products, hair-removal products, deodorants and antiperspirants, oral care products, facial and body hair bleach, sunless tanning compositions, skin depigmenting and lightening compositions, foot care products and foot and toenail conditioning compositions.

12. A composition according to claim 11 wherein the hair care products are selected from the group consisting of shampoos, two-in-one conditioning shampoos, post-shampoo rinses, setting and style maintenance agents, hair setting gels, hair setting sprays, pomades, conditioners, perms, relaxers and hair smoothing products.

13. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the fabric care compositions are selected from the group consisting laundry detergents, liquid fabric softeners, fabric softener sheets, ironing sprays, dry cleaning aids, antiwrinkle sprays and spot removers.

14. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the household care compositions are selected from the group consisting hard surface cleansers for the kitchen and bathroom,toilet bowl gels, tub and shower cleaners, hard water deposit removers, floor and tile cleansers, wall cleansers, floor and chrome fixture polishes, alkali-strippable vinyl floor cleaners, marble and ceramic cleaners, air freshener gels, liquid cleansers for dishes, automatic dishwasher detergents and rinses, toilet bowl disinfectant cleaners, bidet disinfectant cleaners, disinfectant hand soaps, and room deodorizers.

15. An aqueous personal care, household care, or fabric care composition comprising an effective amount of at least one copolymer of formula (II) according to claim 1 wherein the pH is from about 0.5 to about 7.

16. A method for the rheological modification of an aqueous personal care, household care, or fabric care composition wherein said method comprises adding to said personal care, household care, or fabric care composition an effective amount of a copolymer of formula (II) according to claim 1 .