Abstract: .beta.-Alaninediacetic acid (Ia) or its alkali metal or ammonium salts (Ib) are prepared by a process in which iminodiacetic acid and acrylic acida) for the preparation of Ia, are reacted with one another in a nonbasic aqueous medium andb) for the preparation of Ib, are reacted with one another in an alkaline aqueous medium or an aqueous medium containing a nitrogen base, or the Ia formed in the nonbasic medium is converted with an alkali metal base, ammonia or an amine into Ib.

Abstract: 2-Hydroxy-3-aminopropionic acid derivatives of the general formula I ##STR1## where X is hydrogen, an alkali metal or ammonium which may be substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -hydroxyalkyl, and Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 have the following meanings:A) .omega.-substituted alkyl of the general formula--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --R.sup.1where R.sup.1 is hydrogen, hydroxyl or --COOX, --NH--CH(COOX)--CH.sub.2 --COOX or --NY.sup.1 Y.sup.2 and m is from 1 to 20, although m is not 1 when Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 are identical and R.sup.1 is --COOX,B) a polyether group of the general formula--(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m --R.sup.2where R.sup.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,C) a .beta.-hydroxyl-substituted group of the general formula ##STR2## where R.sup.3 is --COOX, --CH.sub.2 OH or --CH.sub.2 --NY.sup.1 Y.sup.2 and n is from 1 to 5,D) an .alpha.-carboxyl-substituted group of the general formula ##STR3## where R.sup.4 is hydrogen, methyl or hydroxymethyl and R.sup.

Abstract: 2-Methyl- and 2-hydroxymethyl-serine-N,N-diacetic acid and derivatives thereof of the general formula I ##STR1## in which X denotes hydrogen, alkali metal or ammonium which may or may not be substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -hydroxyalkyl groups and Z denotes hydrogen or hydroxyl.The compounds I serve as complexing agents for heavy metal ions or alkaline earth metal ions and as bleach stabilizers or builders in detergents and cleaning formulations.

Abstract: Substituted glucosides I(Glu.sub.m --R.sup.1)R.sub.n.sup.2 Iwhere Glu is a glucose unit, R.sup.1 is C.sub.8 -C.sub.18 -alkyl held by an acetal bond, R.sup.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or arylmethyl held by an ether bond, m is a mean value from 1 to 10 and n is a mean value from 0.1 to 2 m.

Abstract: .beta.-Alaninediacetic acid (Ia) or its alkali metal or ammonium salts (Ib) are prepared by a process in which iminodiacetic acid and acrylic acid(a) for the preparation of Ia, are reacted with one another in a nonbasic aqueous medium and(b) for the preparation of Ib, are reacted with one another in an alkaline aqueous medium or an aqueous medium containing a nitrogen base, or the Ia formed in the nonbasic medium is converted with an alkali metal base, ammonia or an amine into Ib.

Abstract: Glycerol aminocarboxylates of the formula ##STR1## where n is from 0 to 10 andR is ##STR2## where L is iminodiacetate, aspartate, glutamate, sarcosinate, glycinate, serinate, hydroxyaspartate, ethanolaminoacetate, diethanolamino, alanate or taurinate andX is hydrogen, an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium,are prepared by esterifying glycerol or polyglycerols which contain up to 10 glycerol units with maleic anhydride or itaconic anhydride and addition of compound L-H where L is as defined above to the double bonds of the esters, and are used as complexing agents.

Abstract: Serine-N,N-diacetic acid and derivatives thereof are prepared in various ways and used in particular as complexing agents, bleaching agent stabilizers and builders in detergents.

Abstract: Liquid detergent formulations contain as essential constituents a surfactant and 0.1-20% by weight of a copolymer which contains(a) 50-99 mol % of units of a monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -monocarboxylic acid, a monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 -dicarboxylic acid, a half ester of a monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 -dicarboxylic acid, an ester of a monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -monocarboxylic acid, a C.sub.2 -C.sub.30 -olefin, styrene, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkylstyrene, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.28 -alkyl vinyl ether, a vinyl ester of a saturated C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -monocarboxylic acid or a mixture thereof and(b) 50-1 mol % of units of an amide of a monoethylenically unsaturated C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -carboxylic acid where the amide groups have the structure ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is C.sub.8 -C.sub.28 -alkyl or preferably ##STR2## R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each H, CH.sub.3 or C.sub.2 H.sub.5, R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.28 -alkyl,n is from 2 to 100 andR.sup.2 is H or R.sup.

Abstract: Washing and cleaning agents for aqueous use contain from 2 to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the agent, of .beta.-alanine-N,N-diacetic acid or an alkali metal or ammonium salt thereof as water softener. The washing and cleaning agent is effective in preventing hardness deposits on textiles and fabrics.

Abstract: Polyethers I ##STR1## R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl, n and m are each from 1 to 30 and r is from 0 to 20, are used mainly as surfactants in detergent and cleaning agent formulations.

Abstract: Serine-N,N-diacetic acid and derivatives thereof are prepared in various ways and used in particular as complexing agents, bleaching agent stabilizers and builders in detergents.

Abstract: Copper is chemically deposited from alkaline aqueous baths containing polyacetal complexing agents obtainable by reacting(a) dialdehydes of the formula ##STR1## and n is 0 or 1, with (b) polyolcarboxylic acids which contain 2 or more OH groups and have from 4 to 7 carbon atoms in a molar ratio of (a):(b) of from 1:0.5 to 1:3.

Abstract: Pulverulent or water-free liquid detergents each essentially contain surfactants, builders, bleaching agents and effective amounts of compounds of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is for example C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl, and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each for example H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.16 -alkyl, as bleach activators for peroxides.

Abstract: Long-chain alkylglucosides are purified by extraction with water from reaction mixtures obtainable by reacting monosaccharides and alcohols of 8 or more carbon atoms or by transacetalating short-chain alkylglucosides with alcohols of 8 or more carbon atoms, adjusted to a pH above 6 in either case.

Abstract: A condensate of bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone, an aldehyde, a dialdehyde and/or glyoxylic acid and aminoacetic acid or an N-substituted aminoacetic acid is prepared and used as a tanning assistant, in a process for tanning leather in combination with, in particular, aluminum tanning agents.

Abstract: Textile materials are pretreated in aqueous media by alkaline scouring and/or bleaching using an assistant comprising a compound of the general formula I ##STR1## where R is C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 -alkyl, X is H, Na, K or NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 R.sup.3 R.sup.4, and R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --OH.

Abstract: Polymers are obtained by polymerization of water-soluble monomers which contain one or more polymerizable olefinic double bonds and a quaternary nitrogen atom which is substituted by one or more hydroxyalkyl groups and are present in the form of halide-free salts, with or without further comonomers.

Abstract: 2-Hydroxy-3-aminopropionic-N,N-diacetic acid and derivatives thereof are used in particular as complexing agents, bleaching agent stabilizers and builders in detergents.

Abstract: Polyacetals obtainable by reaction of(a) a dialdehyde of the formulaOHC--A.sub.n --CHOwhereA=C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylene or ##STR1## and n is 0 or 1, is reacted with(b) a polycarboxylic acid of 5 to 7 carbon atoms which contains not less than 3 OH groups,in a molar ratio (a):(b) of 1:0.25 to 4 in an aqueous medium in the presence of an acid catalyst, are used as additives in washing agents and as complexing agents for heavy metal ions.

Abstract: N-Vinylformamide is purified by fractional distillation in the presence of formamide in a column under from 0.5 to 30 mbar by a method in which the distillation is controlled so that N-vinylformamide containing from 0.1 to 15% by weight of formamide is obtained as the distillate. Homopolymers having particularly high molecular weights can be prepared from the N-vinylformamide purified in this manner.