Abstract: A fuel composition comprising a major amount of hydrocarbons boiling in the gasoline or diesel range and an alkylene oxide-adducted hydrocarbyl amide reaction product having from about 3 to 50 moles of alkylene oxide per mole of hydrocarbyl amide, wherein the reaction product is prepared by (a) first reacting a fatty acid or fatty acid lower alkyl ester with ammonia or a mono- or di-hydroxy hydrocarbyl amine and (b) subsequently reacting the resulting intermediate with an alkylene oxide to provide a reaction product comprising the alkylene oxide-adducted hydrocarbyl amide, a mixture of mono- and di-ester products, and amine by-products, wherein the amount of amine by-products in the reaction product is less than 7 wt %, based on the total weight of the alkylene oxide-adducted hydrocarbyl amide reaction product, and the amide:ester ratio in the reaction product is in the range of about 0.1:1 to 1.1:1.

Abstract: A method of reducing the particulate emissions in an internal combustion engine, said method comprising operating the internal combustion engine with a fuel composition comprising a major amount of hydrocarbons boiling in the gasoline or diesel range and an effective particulate emission-reducing amount of an alkylene oxide-adducted hydrocarbyl amide having from about 3 to 50 moles of alkylene oxide per mole of hydrocarbyl amide.