Catalyst-derived brightening

Substituted triazinyl derivatives of DAS are usually chosen for pad-dry-bake application to cotton in conjunction with an easy-care or durable-press finish. In these mildly acidic conditions (pH about 4) the FBA must show appreciable resistance towards the catalyst (usually magnesium chloride) necessary to cure the resin. The less substantive products in the upper half of Table 11.1 are important in this respect, as are compounds of type 11.9 where R = OCH3 or CH3NCH2CH2OH. It is likely that the hydroxyethylamino groups present in many of these compounds participate in condensation reactions with N-methylol groups in the cellulose-reactant resin. The performance of an FBA applied in conjunction with a resin finish can be modified and improved by careful formulation of the pad liquor but this lies beyond the scope of the present chapter. Alternatively, FBA and resin can be applied in two separate steps most DAST-type brighteners would be suitable if applied in this way. 

A Michaelis-Arbusov rearrangement followed by a Wittig-Horner reaction is involved in preparation of the distyrylbenzene derivative 11.37, as shown in Scheme 11.15. Precautions must be taken in the first stage to minimise formation of the carcinogenic by-product bis(chloromethyl) ether 11.16. The stilbene bis-ester 11.38 can be made by a similar procedure, or alternatively by the reaction of ethyl acrylate with 4,4 -dibromostilbene in the presence of a palladium-based catalyst (Scheme 11.16), a synthesis that yields the required trans form of the brightener. 

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