Nonionic gemini surfactants with three hydrophilic heads and two lipophilic tails

摘要

A novel class of nonionic gemini surfactants and methods for their preparation consist of compounds with three hydrophilic heads and two lipophilic tails of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R. sub.3 independently represents a C.sub.1 to C.sub.22 straight or branched chain alkyl, alkylene, aryl or alkylaryl, or hydrogen, with the proviso that both cannot be hydrogen; R.sub.2 represents a C.sub.1 to C. sub.5 straight or branched chain alkyl, alkylene or hydrogen, (Y) represents ##STR2## wherein R.sub.4 represents C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 alkyl or hydrogen and may be the same or different; X represents --(CH.sub.2). sub.a -- wherein a is a whole number of from 1 to 5; --S--, --S--S--, -- SO.sub.2, --(CH.sub.2).sub.a SO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.a --,--O--, --C═ O, or -- CH.sub.2 --NR--CH.sub.2 -- wherein R is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 straight or branched chain alkyl, alkylene or hydrogen and x, y, and z are whole numbers of from about 6 to about 300. The surfactants exhibit excellent surface active functionality, low cmc and pC.sub.20 values and provide superior efficacies when combined with conventional single chain surfactants.