Abstract: The invention relates to catalytically bleaching substrates, especially laundry fabrics, with atmospheric oxygen or air. A method of bleaching a substrate is provided that comprises applying to the substrate, in an aqueous medium, a specified ligand from a selected class which forms a complex with a transition metal, the complex catalysing bleaching of the substrate by atmospheric oxygen. Also provided is an aqueous bleaching composition substantially devoid of peroxygen bleach or a peroxy-based or -generating bleach system. Also provided is a method of treating a textile such as a laundry fabric whereby a complex catalyses bleaching of the textile by atmospheric oxygen after the treatment. The catalyst may be used in dry form, or in a liquor that is then dried, such as an aqueous spray-on fabric treatment fluid or a wash liquor for laundry cleaning, or a non-aqueous dry cleaning fluid or spray-on aerosol fluid. The method can confer cleaning benefits to the textile after the treatment.

Abstract: The invention relates to ligands or complexes useful as catalysts for catalytically bleaching substrates with atmospheric oxygen, and as catalysts in the of treatment of textiles such as laundry fabrics whereby bleaching by atmospheric oxygen is catalysed after the treatment. The ligand is of the general formula: wherein R1, R2, and R3 independently represent a group selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, —NH—C(NH)NH2, —R and —OR, wherein R=alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or a carbonyl derivative group, R being optionally substituted by one or more functional groups, and provided that two of R1, R2 and R3 are coordinating groups and one of R1, R2 and R3 is a non-coordinating group; Q independently represents a group selected from C2-3-alkylene optionally substituted by H, benzyl or C1-8-alkyl; and Q1, Q2 and Q3 independently represent specified linking groups.

Abstract: There is provided a bleaching detergent composition comprising one or more surfactants, a phenol oxidizing enzyme and a compound which acts as enhancer for the phenol oxidizing enzyme, said composition having an Enhancer Index as herein defined of at least 12 and prefereably in the range of 15-50.

Abstract: There is provided a process for enhancing the activity of a phenol oxidizing enzyme, comprising adding to the enzyme, as an enhancer for the activity of the enzyme, one or more compounds having the formula: wherein: A is an optionally substituted electron-withdrawing group, chosen from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxyl, and esters and salts thereof, amides, aldehydes, ketones, sulfoxides, sulfones, or sulphonates, and B is an optionally substituted electron-donating group, chosen from the group consisting of the oxide anion, sulfide anion, oxides, amines, imines, hydroxides, sulfides, ethers, carboxylic acids, and halogen substituents, and R1-R5 may each independently represent hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, nitroso, formyl, carboxyl, and esters and salts thereof, carbamoyl, sulfo, and esters and salts hereof, sulfamoyl, nitro, amino, phenyl, C1-C20 alkyl, C1-C8 alkoxy, carbonyl-C1-C6-alkoxy, aryl-C1-C6-alkyl, and R2 and R5 together may form an alkylene group or an alkenylene group.

Abstract: A first aspect of the invention is a process for enhancing the activity of an oxidorecudtase by adding to the enzyme, certain specific compounds which are capable of enhancing the activity of said oxidoreductase enzyme. A second aspect of the invention is an enzymatic bleach composition comprising an oxidoreductase and enhancing compounds.

Abstract: There is provided a process for enhancing the activity of an oxidoreductase, comprising adding to the enzyme, as an enhancer for the activity of said enzyme, a compound having the formula: wherein X represents (—O—) or (—S—) and R1, R2 and R3 may each independently represent hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, nitroso, formyl, carboxyl, and esters and salts thereof, carbamoyl, sulfo, and esters and salts hereof, sulfamoyl, nitro, amino, phenyl, C1-C20 alkyl, C1-C8 alkoxy, carbonyl-C1-C6-alkoxy, aryl-C1-C6-alkyl, whereby: the carbamoyl, sulfamoyl and amino groups may be unsubstituted or substituted once or twice with hydroxy, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, in which C1-C6-group may be saturated or unsaturated, branched or unbranched and may be substituted once or twice with halogen, nitroso, hydroxy, formyl, carboxy, and esters and salts thereof, carbamoyl, sulfo, and esters and salts hereof, sulfamoyl; and the phenyl group may be substituted with once or twice with halogen, nitr