CATIONIC SURFACTANTS BASED ON QUATERNARY AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS AND THEIR USE IN DETERGENTS

The invention relates to new cationic surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds which are characterized by the general formula (I) wherein R1 may be a linear or branched alkyl residue having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms; R2 may be hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl residue having from 1 to 21 carbon atoms, the total number of carbon atoms of the substituents R1 and R2 being in the range of from 8 to 22; R3 and R4 represent methyl, ethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl or 2-hydroxypropyl; R5 represents an alkyl residue having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms or a phenalkyl residue having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue; and X- represents the anion of benzoic acid, of benzoic acid monosubstituted with CH3, NH3, NO2, COOH, OH or SO3H, of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having the general formula HOOC-(CH2)n-COOH wherein n is a number from 2 to 8, of fumaric acid, of maleic acid or of sulfosuccinic acid; and the use of such cationic surfactants in industrial cleaning agents.