Imidazoline-based amphoteric surfactants

Two major classes of amphoteric surfactants are derived from fatty alkyl hydroxyethyl imidazolines which, in turn, are produced from fatty acids and low molecular weight amines. Because fatty acids are fairly economic, the imidazoline derived amphoacetates tend to be less expensive than the iminodipropionates discussed above. Most imidazoline derived 

These imidazoline compounds have proved very useful as intermediates to amphoteric surfactants. Products made from them, alkylated with sodium chloroacetate or methyl acrylate were patented by Hans Mannheimer who founded Miranol Company in the USA during the 1950s [2]. Miranol Company became the major vendor of imidazoline derived amphoteric surfactants in the world. Other imidazolines are used to produce amphoteric surfactants, such as alkyl aminoethyl imidazoline, but those products are of less economic significance. 

For personal care applications, the major products in this group are amphoacetates or amphodiacetates , generally based on alkyl hydroxyethyl imidazolines from either a whole coconut fatty acid distribution or a lauric cut. The ampho portion of their name is a convention established by the International Nomenclature Committee for Cosmetic Products (INCI) to indicate that they are derived from imidazoline structures. The INCI nomenclature applied to these materials, amphoacetate and amphodiacetate, is intended to give an indication of the stoichiometry used to produce them, either 1 or 2 mol of sodium chloroacetate is added to each mole of fatty imidazoline. Modern analytical methods have been used to determine the structure of these products and almost all of them are actually monoacetates . The main difference between amphoacetates and ampho diacetates is the composition of the by-products. 

As mentioned above, most commercial products are based on either a lauric (mainly C-12) or a whole coconut distribution (C-8 to C-18, with approximately 50% C-12) since these alkyl distributions give the best detergency. Early on, the imidazoline derived amphoterics were characterized as exceptionally mild to the skin and eyes relative to most surfactants available at the time. This made them excellent candidates for use in baby shampoos, geriatric cleansing products, hand wash for medical facilities and so on. 

Johnson Johnson formulated them into its no more tears baby shampoo and became the first major user of these materials in a consumer product [3]. 

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The foam-holding characteristics of foam from surfactants in oil field jobs can be tailored by adding an imidazoline-based amphoacetate surfactant. Amphoacetates are a special class of amphoteric tensides (Figure 16-1). Imidazoles, such as 2-heptylimidazoline, are reacted with fatty acids under the ring opening. For alkylation, the imidazoline is reacted with, for example, chloroacetate [493]. 

Many of the surfactants made from ethyleneamines contain the imidazoline stmcture or are prepared through an imidazoline intermediate. Various 2-alkyl-imidazolines and their salts prepared mainly from EDA or monoethoxylated EDA are reported to have good foaming properties (292—295). Ethyleneamine-based imida zolines are also important intermediates for surfactants used in shampoos by virtue of their mildness and good foaming characteristics. 2- Alkyl imidazolines made from DETA or monoethoxylated EDA and fatty acids or their methyl esters are the principal commercial intermediates (296—298). They are converted into shampoo surfactants commonly by reaction with one or two moles of sodium chloroacetate to yield amphoteric surfactants (299—301). The ease with which the imidazoline intermediates are hydrolyzed leads to arnidoamine-type stmctures when these derivatives are prepared under aqueous alkaline conditions. However, reaction of the imidazoline under anhydrous conditions with acryflc acid [79-10-7] to make salt-free, amphoteric products, leaves the imidazoline stmcture essentially intact. Certain polyamine derivatives also function as water-in-oil or od-in-water emulsifiers. These include the products of a reaction between DETA, TETA, or TEPA and fatty acids (302) or oxidized hydrocarbon wax (303). The amidoamine made from lauric acid [143-07-7] and DETA mono- and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate is a very effective water-in-od emulsifier (304). 

Mona Industries received a series of patents in the 1980s for betaines and imidazoline-based surfactants similar to the hydroxysultaines and hydroxypropylsulfonates discussed earlier but alkylated with a propanechlorohydrin phosphate rather than the CHPS [9]. These amphoteric surfactants were demonstrably mild and were thought to have some... 

Carboxy amphoteric surfactants based on fatty alkyl imidazolines (imidazolinium surfactants) make up a large part of the amphoteric surfactants. Materials of this surfactant class are based on the imidazolines obtained by the condensation of fatty acids or their esters with aminoethyl ethanol amine. 

Amphoteric surfactants based on carboxymethylation of fatty imidazolines or fatty imido-amines generated by their hydrolysis are well established as extremely mild surfactants [9]. 

Carboxyamphoteric surfactants based on fatty alkyl imidazolines ( imidazolinium surfactants) make up a large part of the amphoteric surfactants. The very divergent interpretation of their chemical structure is partly attributable to little-developed analytical procedures in the past, but is also a consequence of special processing methods by different manufacturers. Materials of this surfactant class are based on the imidazolines obtained by the condensation of fatty acids, or their esters, with AEEA. In Figures 12.4 and 12.5, a summary of the synthesis of amphoteric surfactants based on imidazolines [4,8] is presented. 

Several investigations showed a major influence of the component surfactant on the uptake of polymer JR on hair. With the nonionic surfactant Tergitol 15-S-9 as the shampooing agent there was substantially unimpeded deposition. In contrast, anionic surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulfate led to considerable reduction in polymer deposition. In the presence of an amphoteric surfactant based on imidazoline, substantial deposition of the polymer occurred. The cationic surfactant cetyltrimehyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) virtually eliminated the polymer adsorption. This is due to the faster diffusion of CTA+ which neutralized the negative charges on the hair. 

Baby Shampoos. These shampoos, specifically marketed for small children, feature a non-eye stinging quaHty. The majority of the products in this category are based on an amphoteric detergent system a system combining the use of an imidazoline amphoteric with an ethoxylated nonionic surfactant has been successfiiUy marketed (15,16). The sulfosuccinates also have been suggested for baby shampoo preparation because of thek mildness... 

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