Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator a sulfonic anhydride of the formula:R.sub.1 SO.sub.2 OSO.sub.2 R.sub.2wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is selected from the class consisting of an alkyl radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms; a cycloalkyl radical of 3 to 7 carbon atoms; a phenyl radical; a naphthyl radical and a heterocyclic radical having 1 ring or 2 fused rings, said ring or rings containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, it being understood that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be identical or different except where they are phenyl or naphthyl in which case R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are always different. Also described are dry blend compositions containing the bleach bath components.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator a sulfonyl oxime.Also described are dry blend compositions containing the bleach bath components.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator a phenyl sulfonate ester of the formula: ##STR1## WHEREIN R is selected from the class consisting of a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 16 carbon atoms and a heterocyclic radical having 1 ring or 2 fused rings, said ring or rings containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur; X is hydrogen or at least one electron withdrawing substituent and n is an integer of from 1 to 5. Also described are dry blend compositions containing the bleach bath components.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator a disulfone of the formulaRSO.sub.2 SO.sub.2 R.sub.1wherein R and R.sub.1, which may be alike or different, are each selected from the class consisting of an alkyl radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms; a cycloalkyl radical of 3 to 7 carbon atoms said alkyl and cycloalkyl radicals bearing optional substituents selected from the group consisting of lower alkoxyl, fluoro and chloro; and an aromatic radical selected from the group consisting of phenyl, naphthyl and heterocyclic having 1 ring or 2 fused rings containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the class consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, said aromatic radicals optionally bearing 1 to 3 substituents selected from the class consisting of nitro, alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, aliphatic carboxamido of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, benzamido, chlorine and bromine.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator an N-sulfonylimidazole of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each selected from the class consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkoxy of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, carbonylmethoxy, nitro, an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon radical of 3 to 7 carbon atoms, an aromatic hydrocarbon radical of the benzene and naphthalene series and a heterocyclic radical of 1 to 2 rings each containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur while taken together R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 can complete a benzene ring and R.sub.1 is a hydrocarbon or heterocyclic radical as above defined for R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4. Also described are dry blend compositions containing the bleach bath components.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator an aromatic sulfonic anhydride of the formula RSO.sub.2 --O--SO.sub.2 R, wherein each R is an aromatic ring system selected from the class consisting of a phenyl group, taken together an o-phenylene group, a naphthyl group, taken together an o-naphthylene group and a heterocyclic group having 1 ring or 2 fused rings, said ring or rings containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the class consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, said groups optionally bearing 1 to 3 substituents selected from the class consisting of nitro, alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, aliphatic carboxamido of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, benzamido, chlorine and bromine. Aromatic is used herein in its modern sense to signify an organic ring system having aromatic character including both aromatic hydrocarbon and heterocyclic ring systems.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator a sulfonic anhydride of the formula:R.sub.1 SO.sub.2 OSO.sub.2 R.sub.2wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is selected from the class consisting of an alkyl radical of 1 to 18 carbon atoms; a cycloalkyl radical of 3 to 7 carbon atoms; a phenyl radical; a naphthyl radical and a heterocyclic radical having 1 ring or 2 fused rings, said ring or rings containing 5 to 6 members of which 1 to 2 are heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, it being understood that R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be identical or different except where they are phenyl or naphthyl in which case R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are always different. Also described are dry blend compositions containing the bleach bath components.

Abstract: A process of removing soil and/or stains from fabrics by immersing the fabrics in a peroxygen bleach bath containing as a peroxygen activator, an anhydride of a carboxylic acid with a sulfonic acid selected from the formulae consisting ofR.sub.1 --(SO.sub.2 OC(O)--R.sub.2).sub.n and (R.sub.1 --SO.sub.2 OC(O)).sub.n R.sub.2wherein n is an integer of 1 to 3; each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which may be alike or different, is selected from the class consisting of a 1 to 3 valent hydrocarbon radical derived from an alkane of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, a cycloalkane of 3 to 7 carbon atoms and an arene of 6 to 12 aromatic carbon atoms while taken together R.sub.1 and R.sub.

Abstract: Dextrin carboxylates having about 20 to 100 anhydroglucose units of which from about 2.2 to about 3.0 average OH groups per unit are esterified through one of the carboxyls of a non-aromatic polycarboxylic acid of 2-4 carboxyls containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms, are prepared by (1) reacting the dextrin with at least about 2.8 moles of the anhydride of the polycarboxylic acid in acetic acid in the presence of a tertiary amine catalyst and (2) adding the reaction mixture to a solvent which precipitates the dextrin carboxylate and (3) isolating the so-produced dextrin carboxylate.

Abstract: A dextrin carboxylate comprising a dextrinized starch of about 20 to about 100 anhydroglucose units wherein from about 2.2 to about 2.8, preferably about 2.6 average OH groups per anhydroglucose unit are esterified through one of the carboxyls of a non-aromatic polycarboxylic acid of 2-4 carboxyls containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms. The products are effective biodegradable detergent builders.

Abstract: Carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid is prepared by acidifying the calcium salt of carboxymethyloxysuccinic acid with sulfuric acid at a temperature of 40.degree.C to 80.degree.C; filtering off the CaSO.sub.4 .2H.sub.2 O by-product and concentrating the filtrate to give the purified acid. The calcium salt of carboxymethoxysuccinic acid is formed by reacting maleic acid and glycolic acid in aqueous media containing excess calcium hydroxide.

Abstract: A dextrin carboxylate comprising a dextrinized starch of about 20 to about 100 anhydroglucose units wherein from about 2.2 to about 2.8, preferably about 2.6 average OH groups per anhydroglucose unit are esterified through one of the carboxyls of a non-aromatic polycarboxylic acid of 2-4 carboxyls containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms. The products are effective biodegradable detergent builders.