TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application describes laundry care compositions and their use in the laundering of textile articles. More specifically, the application describes laundry care compositions that are designed to enhance the apparent or visually perceived whiteness of or to impart a desired hue to textile articles washed or otherwise treated with the laundry care composition.

BACKGROUND

With repeated wear and laundering, the appearance of textile articles can begin to deteriorate. This deterioration can become very apparent on white textile articles, with the article begin to develop a yellow or dingy appearance. In an effort to reduce or at least slow this deterioration, some laundry care compositions have incorporated a bluing or hueing agent. These bluing or hueing agents are colorants that will impart a slight bluish hue to the textile articles. The resulting bluish hue helps to mask the yellowing of the textile article. Also, a bluish white is perceived by many to be whiter or “cleaner” than other shades of white.

One drawback to the use of bluing or hueing agents is that they typically are incorporated into the laundry care composition at levels that can render the composition a deep, dark blue. And while some consumers may prefer a laundry care composition exhibiting such a color, other consumers do not prefer these hues.

A need therefore exists for laundry care compositions that exhibit coloration that is pleasing to a wide variety of consumers and yet is capable of bluing or hueing textile articles washed or otherwise treated with the laundry care composition. The compositions described herein attempt to provide such benefits.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first embodiment, the invention provides a laundry care composition comprising a laundry care ingredient or adjunct and at least one compound that is capable of changing from a first color state (i.e., the initial color state in the composition) to a second color state that is perceptibly different from the first color state.

In a specific embodiment, the invention provides a laundry care composition comprising a laundry care ingredient and at least one compound conforming to a structure selected from the group consisting of Formulae (I)-(XC) below


wherein X1and X2are selected from the group consisting of a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom; a is an integer from 0 to 5, provided a is an integer from 0 to 4 when one of X1and X2is a nitrogen atom and a is an integer from 0 to 3 when both X1and X2are nitrogen atoms; each R1is independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, a hydroxy group, a nitro group, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, —S(O)2OH, —S(O)2O−[M+], —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, —NR5R6, —S(O)2R5, —S(O)2NR5R6, and —P(O)2R5; M is a cation; R5and R6are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, and Ra; R2and R3are independently selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, and substituted heteroaryl groups, provided at least one of R2and R3is heteroaryl group or a substituted heteroaryl group when both X1and X2are carbon atoms; L1is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogens, a hydroxy group, a cyano group, and —OR8; R8is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and substituted alkyl groups;


wherein X10is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)— and —S(O)2; d is an integer from 0 to 4; each R10is independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, a nitro group, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —S(O)2OH, —S(O)2O−[M+], —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, —NR5R6, —S(O)2R5, —S(O)2NR5R6, and —P(O)2R5; provided at least one of R2and R3is selected from the group consisting of heteroaryl groups and substituted heteroaryl groups;


wherein e and f are independently integers from 0 to 4; each R20and R21is independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, a nitro group, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, and —NR5R6; each R25is independently selected from the group consisting of saccharide residues (i.e., monosaccharide residues, disaccharide residues, oligosaccharide residues, and polysaccharide residues), —C(O)R5, —C(O)OR5, —C(O)NR5R6; and each R22and R23is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, and substituted alkyl groups;


wherein R30is selected from the group consisting of —OR36and —NR36R37, each R36and R37is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, acyl groups, —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, and —C(O)NR5R6; g and h are independently integers from 0 to 4; each R31and R32is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —S(O)2OH, —S(O)2O−[M+], —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, —NR5R6, —S(O)2R5, —S(O)2NR5R6, and —P(O)2R5; R34and R35are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, and Ra; R33is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —S(O)2R5, —C(O)N(H)R5; —C(O)OR5; and —C(O)R5; X30, X31, X32, and X33are independently selected from the group consisting of a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom, provided no more than two of X30, X31, X32, and X33are nitrogen atoms;


wherein X40is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, and NR45; R45is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —S(O)2OH, —S(O)2O−[M+], —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, and —C(O)NR5R6; R40and R41are independently selected from the group consisting of —OR5and —NR5R6; j and k are independently integers from 0 to 3; each R42and R43is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —S(O)2R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, —OR5, —NR5R6; R44is selected from the group consisting of —C(O)R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —C(O)OR5, and —C(O)OR5;


wherein R50, R51, and R52are independently selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, and substituted heteroaryl groups; Z is an anion; m and n are independently positive integers; y is the charge of the anion; the values of m, n, and y satisfy the following equation m=(−1)·y·n;


wherein R54and R55are independently selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, and substituted heteroaryl groups; R53is selected from the group consisting of arenediyl groups, substituted arenediyl groups, heteroarenediyl groups, and substituted heteroarenediyl groups; p is a positive integer; the values of p, n, and y satisfy the following equation 2m=(−1)·y·n;


wherein X60is selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen atom and a sulfur atom; X61is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom and a sulfur atom; X62is selected from the group consisting of a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom; q and r are independently integers from 0 to 4; each R60and R61is independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —OR5, and —NR5R6; if q or r is 2 or greater, adjacent R60and R61groups can be combined to form an aryl group or a substituted aryl group; R62is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups and substituted alkyl groups;


wherein X70is selected from the group consisting of an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, and a sulfur atom; X71is selected from the group consisting of a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom; s and t are independently integers from 0 to 4; each R70and R71are independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, and —NR5R6; if s or t is 2 or greater, adjacent R70and R71groups can be combined to form an aryl group or a substituted aryl group;


wherein R80and R81are independently selected from the group consisting of alkenyl groups, substituted alkenyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, and substituted heteroaryl groups; R82, R83, R84, and R85are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —C(O)OR5, —C(O)R5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —OR5, and —S(O)2R5; further, R82and R85can be combined to form a bridging alkanediyl group, a bridging oxygen atom, a bridging nitrogen atom, or a bridging sulfur atom;


wherein u is an integer from 0 to 3; v and w are independently integers from 0 to 4; R90, R91, and R92are independently selected from the group consisting of halogens, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, aryl groups, substituted aryl groups, —OR5, —NR5R6, —C(O)OR5, —C(O)NR5R6, —NC(O)OR5, —NC(O)SR5, —S(O)2R5, and —S(O)2NR5R6;
wherein Rais selected from the group consisting of —Rx—O—Ry—Rzand —Ry—Rz; Rxis selected from the group consisting of alkanediyl groups and arenediyl groups; Rzis selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groups, acyl groups, and Rb; Rbis a monovalent group conforming to a structure selected from the group consisting of Formulae (I)-(XC); and Ryis a divalent substituent selected from the group consisting of:

(i) divalent substituents comprising two or more divalent repeating units independently selected from repeating units conforming to the structure of Formula (C)


wherein R101and R102are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aryl, alkoxyalkyl, and aryloxyalkyl;

(ii) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CX)


wherein R111and R112are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, and C1-C10alkyl, aa is an integer from 1 to 12, and bb is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(iii) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CXX)


wherein R121and R122are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, and C1-C10alkyl, cc is an integer from 1 to 12, and dd is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(iv) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CXXX)


wherein R131, R132, and R133are independently selected from alkyl and hydroxyalkyl, and ee is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(v) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CXL)


wherein each R141is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkylamine groups, and ff is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(vi) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CL)


wherein gg is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(vii) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CLX)


wherein each R161is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl, and hh is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100);

(viii) divalent substituents conforming to the structure of Formula (CLXX)


wherein each R171, R172, and R173is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and —CH2CO2H, and jj is an integer greater than or equal to 1 (e.g., from 1 to 100); and

(ix) divalent substituents comprising two or more substituents selected from the group consisting of substituents conforming to a structure of Formula (C), (CX), (CXX), (CXXX), (CXL), (CL), (CLX), or (CLXX).

In a second embodiment, the invention provides a method for treating textile articles. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a laundry care composition as described above; (b) adding the laundry care composition to a liquid medium; and (c) placing the textile articles in the liquid medium. The method is preferably performed under conditions sufficient to convert the compound conforming to a structure selected from the group consisting of Formulae (I)-(XC) from the unconjugated state represented by the structure to a conjugated state.

