Bleaching compositions

Claim 1

A bleaching composition comprising: (a) from about 0.1% to about 80% of a peroxycarboxylic acid or salt thereof having the general formula: ##STR14## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, a linear or branched alkyl, or alkylene group, containing from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms, a cyclic alkyl, or alkylene, group containing from about 3 to about 18 carbon atoms, an aryl group, an aromatic heterocyclic group, and mixtures thereof, M is H or a cation which provides water solubility or dispersibility to the peroxycarboxylic acid and r is from 1 to the total number of replaceable hydrogen atoms on R; and (b) from about 0.1% to about 70% of a bleach activator having the general formula: ##STR15## wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 5 to about 17 carbon atoms and L is a leaving group, wherein the conjugate acid of the anion formed on L has a pK a in the range of from about 4 to about 13; and L is selected from the group consisting of: ##STR16## and mixtures thereof; wherein R is an alkyl group containing from 5 to about 17 carbon atoms and wherein R 2 is an alkyl chain containing from about 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, R 3 is H or R 2 , and Z is H or a solubilizing group.