Cationic fluorescent whitening agents

Claim 2

A cationic fluorescent whitening agent of the formula ##STR72## wherein B is a fluorescent whitening agent selected from the group consisting of 2-furanylbenzimidazoles, 2-azolylbenzimidazoles, 2-stilbenylbenzimidazoles and 2,5-(benzimidazolyl)furanes, m is the number of basic amino groups, and each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group, or is alkenyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group.

Claim 3

A process for the production of a cationic fluorescent whitening agent of the formula ##STR73## wherein B is a fluorescent whitening agent selected from the group consisting of 2-furanylbenzimidazoles, 2-azolylbenzimidazoles, 2-stilbenylbenzimidazoles and 2,5-(benzimidazolyl)furanes, m is the number of basic amino groups, and each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by an non-chromophoric group, or is alkenyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group, which process comprises quaternizing a fluorescent whitening agent B with at least a stoichiometric amount m of a phosphate of the formula ##STR74## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as defined above, in the temperature range from 60° to 200° C.

Claim 4

A process for the production of a cationic fluorescent whitening agent of the formula ##STR73## wherein B is a fluorescent whitening agent selected from the group consisting of 2-furanylbenzimidazoles, 2-azolylbenzimidazoles, 2-stilbenylbenzimidazoles and 2,5-(benzimidazolyl)furanes, m is the number of basic amino groups, and each of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by an non-chromophoric group, or is alkenyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group, which process comprises quaternizing a fluorescent whitening agent B with at least a stoichiometric amount m of a phosphate of the formula ##STR74## wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as defined above, in the temperature range from 60° to 200° C.

Claim 5

A cationic fluorescent whitening agent of claim 1 wherein m is 1 or 2, R 2 and R 3 are identical, each of R 1 R 2 and R 3 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, or benzyl, and B is a fluorescent whitening agent of the formula ##STR75## wherein each of R 6 and R 7 independently is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group, alkenyl of 2 to 6 carbon atoms which is unsubstituted or substituted by a non-chromophoric group, or is phenyl, and wherein the benzene rings and the heterocyclic rings can also carry non-chromophoric substituents.

Claim 6

A cationic fluorescent whitening agent of claim 3 wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are identical and are alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms and B is a fluorescent whitening agent radical of the formula ##STR76## wherein R 6 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R 7 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, benzyl, phenyl, alkenyl of 3 to 4 carbon atoms, cyanolalkyl of 2 or 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxycarbonylmethyl containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkoxy moiety, R 8 is hydrogen, methyl, chlorine, alkylsufonyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenylsulfonyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, phenoxysulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl containing a total of 2 to 5 carbon atoms, carboxyl, --CONZ 1 Z 2 or --SO 2 NZ 1 Z 2 , wherein Z 1 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl containing a total of 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or benzyl, and Z 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or Z 1 and Z 2 , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, can also form a morpholine ring, and R 9 and R 10 , each independently of the other, are hydrogen, chlorine or methyl.

Claim 7

A cationic fluorescent whitening agent of claim 4 of the formula ##STR77## wherein A is a radical of the formula ##STR78## wherein R 6 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and each of R 9 and R 10 independently is hydrogen, chlorine or methyl, R 7 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, benzyl, phenyl, alkenyl of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, cyanoalkyl of 2 or 3 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonylmethyl containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkoxy moiety, and R 8 is hydrogen, methyl, chlorine, alkylsulfonyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenylsulfonyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, phenoxysulfonyl, alkoxycarbonyl containing a total of 2 to 5 carbon atoms, carboxyl, CONZ 1 Z 2 or SO 2 NZ 1 Z 2 , wherein Z 1 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 3 or 4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl containing a total of 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or benzyl, and Z 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or Z 1 and Z 2 , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, can also form a morpholine ring.

Claim 8

A cationic fluorescent whitening agent of claim 21 wherein R 6 is methyl, R 7 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, benzyl, phenyl or cyanoalkyl of 2 or 3 carbon atoms, R 8 is hydrogen, alkylsulfonyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenylsulfonyl, phenoxysulfonyl, sulfamoyl, alkylsulfamoyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyl of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano or chlorine, R 9 is chlorine and R 10 is hydrogen, chlorine or methyl.