Quaternary ammonium disinfectants

Claim 2

A quaternary ammonium compound having the structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and X is either a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 30, methosulfate or ethosulfate, the term "decyl" referring to a mixture of primary branched chain alkyl groups each of which has 10 carbon atoms and consists of a straight chain having at least two branches and the term "n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group.

Claim 3

The compound of claim 1 wherein X is chlorine.

Claim 4

The compound of claim 1 wherein R is CH 3 .

Claim 5

The compound of claim 1 wherein X is chlorine and R is CH 3 .

Claim 6

A disinfectant composition comprising an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium compound having the structural formula: ##STR2## wherein R is a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and X is either a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 30, methosulfate or ethosulfate, the term "decyl" referring to a mixture of primary branched chain alkyl groups each of which has 10 carbon atoms and consists of a straight chain having at least two branches and the term "n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group, said quaternary ammonium compound being present in said solution in an amount of at least 500 ppm.

Claim 7

A disinfectant composition comprising an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium compound having the structural formula: ##STR2## wherein R is a lower alkyl group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and X is either a halogen having an atomic weight greater than 30, methosulfate or ethosulfate, the term "decyl" referring to a mixture of primary branched chain alkyl groups each of which has 10 carbon atoms and consists of a straight chain having at least two branches and the term "n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group, said quaternary ammonium compound being present in said solution in an amount of at least 500 ppm.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 5 wherein X is chlorine.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 5 wherein R is CH 3 .

Claim 10

The composition of claim 5 wherein X is chlorine and R is CH 3 .

Claim 11

The composition of claim 5 wherein said solution contains at least about 400 ppm of hardness as measured in terms of ppm of calcium carbonate.

Claim 14

The method of claim 10 wherein X is chlorine.

Claim 15

The method of claim 10 wherein R is CH 3 .

Claim 16

The method of claim 10 wherein X is chlorine and R is CH 3 .

Claim 17

The method of claim 10 wherein said quaternary ammonium compound is in an aqueous solution in an amount of at least about 500 ppm.

Claim 18

The method of claim 10 wherein said solution contains at least about 400 ppm of hardness as measured in terms of ppm of calcium carbonate.

Claim 19

The method of claim 10 wherein said quaternary ammonium compound is applied to bacteria on a hard surface.

Claim 20

The method of claim 10 wherein said quaternary ammonium compound is in admixture with di-decyl dimethylammonium halide and di-n-decyl dimethylammonium halide, the term "decyl" as used in "di-decyl" referring to a mixture of primary branched chain alkyl groups having 10 carbon atoms and the term "di-n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17 wherein said quaternary ammonium compound comprises about 50% by weight of the active ingredients of the mixture.

Claim 22

A disinfectant composition comprising an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium compound wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is present in an amount of at least 500 ppm, said quaternary ammonium compound being selected from the group consisting of (a) decyl-n-decyl dimethylammonium halide, (b) a mixture of di-decyl dimethylammonium halide and di-n-decyl-dimethylammonium halide, and (c) a mixture of di-decyl dimethylammonium halide, di-n-decyl dimethylammonium halide and decyl-n-decyl dimethylammonium haldide, the term "decyl" referring to a mixture of branched chain alkyl groups each of which has 10 carbon atoms and consists of a straight chain having at least two branches and the term "n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group.

Claim 23

A disinfectant composition comprising an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium compound wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is present in an amount of at least 500 ppm, said quaternary ammonium compound being selected from the group consisting of (a) decyl-n-decyl dimethylammonium halide, (b) a mixture of di-decyl dimethylammonium halide and di-n-decyl-dimethylammonium halide, and (c) a mixture of di-decyl dimethylammonium halide, di-n-decyl dimethylammonium halide and decyl-n-decyl dimethylammonium haldide, the term "decyl" referring to a mixture of branched chain alkyl groups each of which has 10 carbon atoms and consists of a straight chain having at least two branches and the term "n-decyl" referring to the normal decyl group.

Claim 24

The composition of claim 19 wherein the solution contains at least 400 ppm of hardness as measured in terms of calcium carbonate.

Claim 25

The composition of claim 19 wherein the mixture of di-decyl and di-n-decyl dimethylammonium halides contains at least about 10% by weight of the di-n-decyl halide.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 19 whereas the mixture of di-decyl, di-n-decyl and decyl-n-decyl dimethylammonium halides contains about 50% of the decyl-n-decyl halide, the remainder being formed of about equal amounts of the other two halides.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 19 wherein the halides are chlorides.