Wetting properties of nonionics from branched fatty diamides

Low pressure oxyethylation of RNHCOR CONHR or RCONHCH2CH2NHCOR does not occur below 100 C where R represents branched aliphatic groups and R’ is 0–4 methylene groups or ‐CH=CH‐. These diamides add ethylene oxide at 140–170 C to give dark adducts highly contaminated with aminoester. The corresponding dihydroxyethyl derivatives undergo low pressure oxyethylation, yielding products with good room temperature solubility, low aminoester content and good wetting properties for cotton skeins and a hydrophobic soil. For these adduct series, most effective wetting was found with an ethylene oxide chain length of 8. For adducts based on fumaramide, excellent wetting properties were observed over a chain length range of 5–15 units. All adduct series effectively wet Idylwild hydrophobic soil at 0.01%, but no distinction was possible between series at the same concentration.