Abstract: Novel bleach and oxidation catalysts, a method of bleaching substrates using these catalysts and bleaching (detergent) compositions containing the catalysts are reported.The catalysts are manganese complexes of formula:[L.sub.n Mn.sub.m X.sub.p ].sup.z Y.sub.qwherein Mn is manganese or iron or mixtures thereof, which can be in the II, III, IV or V oxidation state or mixtures thereof; n and m are independent integers from 1-4; X represents a co-ordination or bridging species; p is an integer from 0-12; Y is a counter-ion, the type of which is dependent upon the charge z of the complex which can be positive, zero or negative; q=z/[charge Y]; and L is a ligand being a macrocylic organic molecule.

Abstract: Novel bleach and oxidation catalysts, a method of bleaching substrates using these catalysts and bleaching (detergent) compositions containing the catalysts are reported.The catalysts are a manganese-based co-ordination complex of the general formula:[L.sub.n Mn.sub.m X.sub.p ].sup.z Y.sub.qwherein Mn is manganese in the IV-oxidation state; n and m are independent integers from 2-8; X represents a co-ordination or bridging species; p is an integer from 0-32; Y is a counter-ion, the type of which is dependent on the charge z of the complex which can be positive, zero or negative; q=z/[charge Y]; and L is a ligand which is an organic molecule containing a number of hetero-atoms selected from N, P, O, and S, which co-ordinates via all or some of its hetero-atoms and/or carbon atoms to the Mn.sup.(IV) -center(s), which latter are anti-ferromagnetically coupled.