Abstract: Disclosed herein are detergent compositions containing a water soluble organic surfactant and as a builder therefor a compound of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X and X' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxys having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, carboxyl in salt form (i.e., --COOM), and carboxymethyloxy in salt form (i.e., --OCH.sub.2 COOM), with the provision that only one of X and X' can be hydrogen, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyl in salt form or carboxymethyloxy in salt form; Y and Y' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, and hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; in the cases where both X and Y' or X' and Y are hydrogen or alkyls, X' and Y or X and Y' taken together can constitute a single bond which connects the .alpha. and .alpha.

Abstract: The length of time that a disinfecting alkali-metal hypochlorite solution remains active may be controlled by providing for the presence therein of an alkali-metal alpha-hydroxy-beta-sulfosuccinate at pH 2 to 12, reducing the pH to a level below about 9.5, and heating after a desired time, the sulfosuccinate having very little reactivity with the hypochlorite at room temperature, but being more reactive to destroy substantially all of the hypochlorite at elevated temperatures.An additional advantage of the aforementioned solution lies in the ability of the alkali-metal alpha-hydroxy-beta-sulfosuccinate to serve as a detergent builder, sequestrant, and descaling agent at appropriate concentrations and pH levels.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein novel builder salts of alkyloxysuccinic acids, alkyloxyhydroxysuccinic acids, alkylthiosuccinic acids, alkylthiohydroxysuccinic acids, and the sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives of the alkylthiosuccinic and alkylthiohydroxysuccinic acids. The new builder compounds can be generally represented as follows: ##STR1## wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO and SO.sub.2 ; X is H or OH; R is an alkyl radical containing from 6 to 30 carbon atoms and M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal cations, ammonium and substituted ammonium. These new builder compounds can be substituted in detergent compositions for existing builders containing phosphorous or nitrogen without impairing and in some cases improving the efficiency of such detergent compositions.

Abstract: Hydroxyaryldialkyl sulfonium halides having the structural formula ##STR1## wherein R is a normal alkyl group having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, R' is hydrogen or methyl, and X is bromine or chlorine, provided that when R' is hydrogen, the hydroxyl group is in the ortho, meta or para position with respect to the sulfur atom, and provided that when R' is methyl, the hydroxyl group is in the para position with respect to the sulfur atom. The compounds are useful as germicidal agents, especially against gram positive bacteria, in germicidal compositions and in detergent formulations.

Abstract: Hydroxyaryldialkyl sulfonium halides having the structural formula ##STR1## wherein R is a normal alkyl group having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, R' is hydrogen or methyl, and X is bromine or chlorine, provided that when R' is hydrogen, the hydroxyl group is in the ortho, meta or para position with respect to the sulfur atom, and provided that when R' is methyl, the hydroxyl group is in the para position with respect to the sulfur atom. The compounds are useful as germicidal agents, especially against gram positive bacteria, in germicidal compositions and in detergent formulations.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are detergent compositions containing a water soluble organic surfactant and as a builder therefor a compound of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X and X' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxys having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, carboxyl in salt form (i.e., -- COOM), and carboxymethyloxy in salt form (i.e., --OCH.sub.2 COOM), with the provision that only one of X and X' can be hydrogen, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyl in salt form or carboxymethyloxy in salt form; Y and Y' are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyls having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, and hydroxyalkyls having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; in the cases where both X and Y' or X' and Y are hydrogen or alkyls, X' and Y or X and Y' taken together can constitute a single bond which connects the .alpha. and .alpha.

Abstract: There are disclosed herein novel sequestrant builders for use in detergent compositions having the general formula: ##EQU1## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of H, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a hydroxylalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and a COOM group; n is zero or 1; when n is 1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are selected from the group consisting of H, CH.sub.3 and CH.sub.2 COOM; when n is zero a double bond is present between C' and C"; X is COOM, OSO.sub.3 M or SO.sub.3 M; a is zero, 1 or 2; b is zero or 1; Z is selected from the group consisting of O, S, NH, NR.sub.4 wherein R.sub.4 is an alkyl group or hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms provided that when Z is O, a must be zero, X must be COOM and R.sub.1 cannot be H when R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are both H and b is zero; M is selected from the group consisting of H, alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium cations.