JP7743243B2 - Flavoring composition - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fragrance composition and a method for fragrance-imparting textile products by treating the textile products with the fragrance composition.

In recent years, an increasing number of consumers want to enjoy the scent of their clothes after washing, and are looking for a variety of scents and long-lasting scents. To increase the variety of scents available, consumers own multiple fabric softeners, and to increase the longevity of the scent, they increase the amount of fabric softener they use, but there are limits to the space available for consumers to store their laundry and the size of the laundry slot. Furthermore, with the recent rise in concerns about fragrance pollution and calls for the use of fabric softeners that are considerate of those around them, it is becoming difficult to continue using more fabric softener to make the scent last longer.

Technologies proposed for the purpose of adding fragrance include a method of providing a cleaning product and a fragrance-containing product separately (Patent Document 1), a method of adjusting the fragrance intensity by adding fragrance tablets made of polyethylene glycol impregnated with fragrance during the laundry process (Patent Document 2), and a method of providing a textile treatment item that combines an unscented/lightly scented fabric softener with a fragrance-containing product (Patent Document 3).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-169898 JP 2013-509508 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-23776

When adding fragrance during the washing process as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to incorporate a large amount of fragrance into the agent itself in order to leave a sufficient scent on the clothes after drying.

To incorporate a large amount of fragrance, a large amount of surfactant is required. The more surfactant used, the more likely the liquid itself will foam.

Patent Document 3 describes how unscented/lightly scented fabric softeners and fragranced agents with high concentrations of fragrance are mixed with the fabric softener in the washing machine's inlet, which can cause foaming during the rinsing process and lead to an uneven scent. Furthermore, when used in combination with fabric softener, some fabric softeners can gel when water enters the washing machine's inlet and mixes with the water.

The present invention provides a fragrance composition that, when used in combination with a fabric softener, suppresses foaming during the rinsing process and has a high fragrance-imparting effect on clothing and other items.

The inventors investigated the above-mentioned problem and discovered that by solubilizing the fragrance composition using a specific nonionic surfactant, the fragrance effect on clothing and other items can be enhanced without creating foam during the rinsing process, leading to the completion of this invention.

That is, the present invention relates to a fragrance composition containing (A) a fragrance composition (hereinafter referred to as component (A)), (B) a nonionic surfactant represented by the following general formula (b1) (hereinafter referred to as component (B)), (C) a water-soluble solvent (hereinafter referred to as component (C)), and (D) water (hereinafter referred to as component (D)).
R ^1b -O-(EO) _mb (PO) _nb -R ^2b (b1)
(In the formula, R ^1b is an alkyl group or acyl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a primary carbon atom, and R ^2b is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group. PO is a propyleneoxy group, EO is an ethyleneoxy group, mb and nb are the average numbers of moles added, mb is a number of 5 to 50, and nb is a number of 0.5 to 10. PO and EO may be bonded in block or random bonds, and the order does not matter.)

According to the present invention, there is provided a fragrance composition which, when used in combination with a fabric softener, suppresses foaming during the rinsing step and has a high fragrance-imparting effect on objects such as clothing.
The fragrance composition of the present invention, when used in combination with a fabric softener, suppresses foaming during the rinsing step, and therefore can be used in combination with commercially available fabric softeners without being restricted by the type of fabric softener, allowing users to freely arrange the scent by combining it with various fabric softeners.

[Flavoring agent composition]
The flavoring composition according to the present invention is a flavoring composition containing components (A), (B), (C), and (D) (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the flavoring composition of the present invention).

<Component (A)>
Component (A) is a fragrance composition.
There are no particular limitations on the fragrance compounds that can be used as component (A) of the present invention. Examples of fragrance compounds that can be used as component (A) include those described in Nakajima Mototaka, "Fundamentals of Fragrances and Fragrances," 4th edition, Sangyo Tosho Co., Ltd., April 20, 2005, and fragrance compounds known to be incorporated into fabric softeners through patent documents, etc. In addition, fragrance components or fragrance compositions that have been independently prepared by fragrance manufacturers can also be used.

From the viewpoint of suppressing mixing with the softener (hereinafter also referred to as "mixing suppression"), the log P value of the component (A) of the present invention is preferably 10.0 or less, more preferably 9.0 or less, and even more preferably 8.0 or less. Suppressing mixing of the fragrance composition with the softener also leads to suppression of thickening of the softener, the fragrance composition, or a mixture thereof.
Here, the "log P value" is the logarithm of the 1-octanol/water partition coefficient of a compound, and means the ratio of the equilibrium concentrations of a solute in each solvent at partition equilibrium when the compound is dissolved as a solute in a two-phase solvent system of 1-octanol and water, and is generally expressed in the form of a logarithm to the base 10, "log P." That is, the log P value is an index of lipophilicity (hydrophobicity); the larger this value, the more hydrophobic the compound is, and the smaller this value, the more hydrophilic the compound is.
The log P value can be obtained from, for example, a database available from Daylight Chemical Information Systems, Inc. (DaylightCIS), which lists the log P values of many compounds. If no actually measured log P value is available, it can be calculated using a program such as "CLOGP" (DaylightCIS), and among these, calculation using the program "CLOGP" is highly reliable and therefore preferred.
The program "CLOGP" outputs the "calculated logP (sometimes called ClogP)" value calculated by the fragment approach of Hansch and Leo, along with the measured logP value, if available. The fragment approach is based on the chemical structure of the compound, taking into account the number of atoms and the type of chemical bond (A. Leo, Comprehensive Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 4, C. Hansch, P. G. Sammens, J. B. Taylor and C. A. Ramsden, Eds., p. 295, Pergamon Press, 1990). Since this ClogP value is currently the most common and reliable estimate, it is preferable to use the ClogP value instead when selecting a compound if the measured logP value is unavailable. In the present invention, either the measured logP value or the ClogP value calculated by the program "CLOGP" may be used.

For example, β-ionone (3.7), γ-undecalactone (3.8), γ-nonalactone (2.8), γ-methylionone (4.0), ambroxan (5.3), Iso E Super (4.7), ethyl vanillin (1.8), ethylene brassylate (4.6), eugenol (3.0), cashmeran (manufactured by IFF) (4.0), coumarin (1.5), geraniol (2.4), o,t-butylcyclohexyl acetate (4.1), citronellyl acetate (4.2), dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate (2.8), sandalmysole core (3.9), dihydrojasmonate methyl Examples of methyl methyl ketones include methyl methyl ketone (2.4), dihydromyrcenol (3.0), dimethyltetrahydrobenzaldehyde (2.9), Javanol (Givaudan) (4.7), Neroline Yara Yara (3.2), Habanolide (Firmenich) (6.2), Flute (Kao Corporation) (3.4), Paeonil (Givaudan) (4.0), hexyl cinnamic aldehyde (4.8), heliotropin (1.1), methyl β-naphthyl ketone (2.8), methyl anthranilate (2.0), raspberry ketone (1.1), limonene (4.4), and lilial (3.9). The values in parentheses are log P values.

In the present invention, a diluent or a retaining agent for the fragrance compound may be contained. Examples of the diluent or retaining agent include dipropylene glycol, palmitic acid isopropyl ester, diethyl phthalate, benzyl benzoate, liquid paraffin, isoparaffin, and fats and oils. Some compounds, such as dipropylene glycol (sometimes referred to as DPG), are water-soluble solvents for component (C), which will be described later, and are counted as component (C) even when added as a retaining agent or diluent for the fragrance compound.
The diluent and the fixative are preferably added to the fragrance composition as a fragrance composition. Specifically, the amount of the diluent and the fixative relative to the total amount of the component (A), the diluent, and the fixative is preferably from 0% to 20% by mass.

The flavoring composition of the present invention contains component (A) in an amount of preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6% by mass or less. The amount of component (A) in the flavoring composition can be adjusted to suit the product.

<(B) component>
The fragrance composition of the present invention contains, as component (B), a nonionic surfactant represented by the following general formula (b1), from the viewpoints of enhancing the fragrance-imparting properties of treated textile products, suppressing foaming when used in combination with a softener, and suppressing gelation.
R ^1b -O-(EO) _mb (PO) _nb -R ^2b (b1)
(In the formula, R ^1b is an alkyl group or acyl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a primary carbon atom, and R ^2b is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group. PO is a propyleneoxy group, EO is an ethyleneoxy group, mb and nb are the average numbers of moles added, mb is a number of 5 to 50, and nb is a number of 0.5 to 10. PO and EO may be bonded in block or random bonds, and the order does not matter.)

In general formula (b1), R ^1b is an alkyl group or acyl group having from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, and the carbon atom of R ^1b bonded to the oxygen atom of R ^1b -O is a primary carbon atom. From the viewpoints of foam-suppressing properties, stability, and imparting fragrance to textile products, R ^1b is an alkyl group or acyl group, preferably an alkyl group, having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms, preferably from 10 to 14 carbon atoms.
In general formula (b1), R ^2b represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group, and is preferably a hydrogen atom.

In general formula (b1), EO is an ethyleneoxy group, and PO is a propyleneoxy group. The ethyleneoxy group is a group obtained by adding ethylene oxide to an aliphatic alcohol or an aliphatic alcohol alkyl ester, and the propyleneoxy group is a group obtained by adding propylene oxide. The average number of moles added may be a value measured by liquid chromatography or the like, or may be the proportion of monomers added during the reaction. The addition of EO and PO may be by block or random bonding, but from the viewpoint of preventing gelation in a washing machine tray when used in combination with a fabric softener, it is preferable to add EO first, then add PO, and then add EO again.
In general formula (b1), mb represents the average number of moles of EO added and is a number of 5 or more and 50 or less, and from the viewpoint of foam-suppressing properties and suppressing mixing, it is preferably 7 or more, more preferably 10 or more, even more preferably 15 or more, and is preferably 40 or less, more preferably 30 or less, even more preferably 25 or less, and still more preferably 20 or less.
Furthermore, nb is the average number of moles of PO added, and is a number of 0.5 or more and 10 or less, and preferably a number of 1 or more and 5 or less.
From the viewpoint of achieving defoaming properties and suppressing gelation upon addition of cold water, the component (b) of the present invention is preferably a nonionic surfactant obtained by first adding 0 to 15 moles of EO to a primary linear aliphatic alcohol having a specified alkyl group, then adding 1 to 10 moles of PO, and then again adding 5 to 15 moles of EO, under the conditions of general formula (b1).

From the viewpoints of foam suppression and mixing inhibition, the fragrance composition of the present invention contains component (B) in an amount of preferably 1.0% by mass or more, more preferably 5.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 10.0% by mass or more, and preferably 20.0% by mass or less, more preferably 18.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 15.0% by mass or less.

<(C) component>
The component (C) of the present invention is a water-soluble solvent, and a monohydric to trihydric water-soluble alcohol solvent is preferred. Examples of monohydric water-soluble alcohol solvents include lower alcohols having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, and isopropanol; phenyl glycol ether solvents such as ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, diethylene glycol monophenyl ether, and triethylene glycol monophenyl ether; and glycol ether solvents such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol monopropyl ether, propylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether. Examples of dihydric or trihydric water-soluble alcohol solvents include propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, glycerin, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and alkyl glyceryl ethers having an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms. The component (C) may function as a solvent. The water-soluble solvent referred to in the present invention refers to an organic compound that is miscible with water at 20°C.

The melting point of the component (C) of the present invention is preferably 30° C. or lower, more preferably 25° C. or lower, and even more preferably 20° C. or lower, from the viewpoint of foam suppression and suppression of mixing.
The boiling point of the component (C) of the present invention is preferably 150°C or higher, more preferably 200°C or higher, and even more preferably 250°C or higher, from the viewpoint of foam suppression and suppression of mixing.

From the viewpoint of suppressing foaming and gelling when used in combination with a fabric softener, component (C) of the present invention is preferably one or more selected from ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and glycerin, more preferably one or more selected from propylene glycol and glycerin, and even more preferably propylene glycol and glycerin.

From the viewpoint of suppressing foaming and mixing, the liquid fragrance composition of the present invention preferably contains, as component (C), one or more selected from propylene glycol (hereinafter referred to as component (C1)) and glycerin (hereinafter referred to as component (C2)), and more preferably contains component (C1) and component (C2).
In the present invention, when both the component (C1) and the component (C2) are contained, the mass ratio (C1)/(C2) of the content of the component (C1) to the content of the component (C2), from the viewpoint of enhancing foaming suppression and mixing suppression, is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 0.15 or more, even more preferably 0.2 or more, and is preferably 10 or less, more preferably 8 or less, even more preferably 5 or less, still more preferably 3 or less, still more preferably 1 or less, and still more preferably 0.7 or less.

From the viewpoint of suppressing foaming and mixing, the fragrance composition of the present invention contains component (C) in an amount of preferably 5% by mass or more, more preferably 10% by mass or more, even more preferably 15% by mass or more, and preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less.

<(D) component>
The flavoring composition of the present invention contains water as component (D). That is, the flavoring composition of the present invention is a liquid flavoring composition. The water used in the present invention may be deionized water, sterilized water prepared by adding a small amount of hypochlorite to deionized water, tap water, or the like.
The flavoring agent composition of the present invention contains component (D) in an amount of preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, still more preferably 35% by mass or more, and preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, even more preferably 65% by mass or less.

<Optional ingredients, etc.>
The flavoring agent composition of the present invention preferably further contains the components (E) and (F) described below.

<(E) component>
The component (E) of the present invention is a nonionic surfactant represented by the following general formula (e1):
R ^1e -O-(EO) _me -H (e1)
(In the formula, R ^1e represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a secondary carbon atom, EO represents an ethyleneoxy group, and me represents the average number of moles added and is a number of 3 to 10.)
The component (E) of the present invention is a preferred component from the viewpoint of the stability of the fragrance composition of the present invention and from the viewpoint of suppressing gelation due to water in the tray of a washing machine when used in combination with a fabric softener. When the fragrance composition is used in combination with a fabric softener, the viscosity of the fragrance composition may increase upon mixing with some fabric softeners, and the fragrance composition may not flow smoothly from the tray of the washing machine into the washing tub.

In general formula (e1), R ^1e is an alkyl group or alkenyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a secondary carbon atom. From the viewpoint of suppressing mixing, R ^1e is preferably a linear alkyl group having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a secondary carbon atom. In other words, R ^1e is preferably an alkyl group derived from a secondary alcohol, and more preferably an alkyl group derived from a linear secondary alcohol.

In general formula (e1), EO is an ethyleneoxy group, which can be obtained by adding ethylene oxide to a secondary alcohol having the carbon number within the above range.
In general formula (e1), mc represents the average number of moles of EO added, which is preferably 3 or more and 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, and even more preferably 7 or less, from the viewpoint of suppressing gelation when used in combination with a softener.
It is preferable that the nonionic surfactant constituting component (E) contains substantially no unreacted alcohol having zero ethyleneoxy groups, and that the content is essentially 0 mass %. It is preferable to use a surfactant from which the unreacted alcohol has been removed by distillation or the like after the addition of ethylene oxide.
For example, when the average number of moles of EO added as component (E) exceeds 3 moles, it is preferable to first add 3 moles of ethylene oxide, distill the mixture to remove unreacted alcohol, and then add more ethylene oxide to the removed mixture.

When the fragrance composition of the present invention contains component (E), the content of component (E) in the composition is, from the viewpoint of preventing mixing, 0.2% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, even more preferably 5% by mass or less.

<Component (F)>
The component (F) of the present invention is a cationic surfactant. The cationic surfactant is preferably a tertiary amine compound represented by the following general formula (f1) or a quaternary ammonium salt compound, which is a quaternary product thereof:
[R ^1f - (TR ^3f ) _mf -] _nf N(R ^2f ) _3-nf (f1)
[In the formula, R ^1f represents a hydrocarbon group having 8 or more, preferably 10 or more, and 23 or less, preferably 20 or less, and more preferably 18 or less carbon atoms, and is preferably a straight-chain alkyl group. R ^2f represents a group selected from a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a benzyl group, and a HO-(C _p H _2p O) _r -C _q H _2q group, and when nf = 1, two or more instances of R ^2f cannot simultaneously represent a phenyl group or a benzyl group. R ^3f represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or -(C _p H _2p O) _r -, and T represents -COO-, -OCO-, -CONH-, -NHCO-, or a phenylene group. mf represents a number of 0 or 1, and mf is preferably 0. nf represents a number of 1 or 2, and nf is preferably 1. p and q are each a number of 2 or 3. and r is a number of 0 to 5. When a plurality of R ^1f , R ^2f , HO—(C _p H _2p O) _r —C _q H _2q groups, p, q, and r are present in the same molecule, they may be the same or different.

The quaternized product of the tertiary amine compound represented by general formula (f1) can be obtained by a quaternization reaction using a tertiary amine compound represented by general formula (f1) and an alkylating agent. Examples of alkylating agents include dimethyl sulfate, diethyl sulfate, methyl chloride, methyl bromide, and methyl iodide, and it is preferable to use one or more selected from methyl chloride, dimethyl sulfate, and diethyl sulfate. That is, component (F) can be a quaternized product obtained by quaternizing a tertiary amine compound represented by general formula (f1) with one or more alkylating agents selected from methyl chloride, dimethyl sulfate, and diethyl sulfate.

The cationic surfactant of component (F) of the present invention is preferably a quaternary ammonium salt. Specifically, the chlorine salt, methyl sulfate, or ethyl sulfate of an N-alkyltrimethylammonium salt, N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-benzylammonium salt, N-alkanoyloxyethyl-N,N-dihydroxyethyl-N-methylammonium, N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethylammonium salt, or N-alkanoyloxyethyl-N,N-dihydroxyethyl-N-ethylammonium salt having a linear alkyl group or linear alkanoyl group having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms are preferred. The chlorine salts are more preferred, and N-alkyltrimethylammonium chlorine salt, N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethylammonium ethyl sulfate, or N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-benzylammonium chlorine salt are even more preferred.

When the flavoring agent composition of the present invention contains component (F), from the viewpoint of suppressing mixing, the content of component (F) is preferably 1.0% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 3.0% by mass or more, and preferably 15.0% by mass or less, more preferably 10.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 8.0% by mass or less.

[Component (G): Acid Agent]
The flavoring agent composition of the present invention may contain an acidifying agent as component (G) in order to adjust the pH of the composition.
Examples of the acid agent include inorganic acids and organic acids, and specific examples of inorganic acids include hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. Specific examples of organic acids include mono- or polycarboxylic acids having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, mono- or poly-sulfonic acids having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and alkylsulfuric acids having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. More specific examples include methylsulfuric acid, ethylsulfuric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, (o-, m-, p-)xylenesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, glycolic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, and salicylic acid.
Among these, hydrochloric acid is preferred as an inorganic acid, and mono- or polycarboxylic acids having 1 to 10 carbon atoms are preferred as an organic acid, with citric acid being more preferred.
When the flavoring agent composition of the present invention contains an acidifying agent, its content can be appropriately adjusted depending on the type and amount of component (G), and it is preferable that the content be in a range in which the pH falls within the above-mentioned range and that the storage stability is not impaired.

[Other ingredients]
The flavoring agent composition of the present invention may further contain other ingredients, such as surfactants other than component (B), component (E), and component (F), solvents other than component (C), inorganic salts such as calcium chloride, chelating agents such as ethylenediamine tetraacetate and methylglycine diacetate, antioxidants such as BHT, antifoaming agents such as polydimethylsiloxane, preservatives known under the trade name Proxel, dyes, pigments, and ultraviolet absorbers, as needed, within the range that does not impair the effects of the present invention.

[Physical properties, etc.]
From the viewpoint of suppressing mixing, the pH of the flavoring agent composition of the present invention at 30°C is preferably 2.0 or more, more preferably 2.5 or more, even more preferably 2.7 or more, still more preferably 2.9 or more, and preferably 5.0 or less, more preferably 4.8 or less, even more preferably 4.5 or less, still more preferably 4.2 or less, and still more preferably 4.0 or less. The pH is measured at 30°C in accordance with item 8.3 of JIS K 3362;2008. The pH can be adjusted with a pH adjuster such as an alkali agent or the aforementioned acid agent.

From the viewpoint of preventing mixing, the viscosity of the flavoring composition of the present invention at 30°C is preferably 5 mPa·s or more, more preferably 8 mPa·s or more, even more preferably 10 mPa·s or more, and preferably 150 mPa·s or less, more preferably 130 mPa·s or less, even more preferably 100 mPa·s or less, even more preferably 80 mPa·s or less, and even more preferably 50 mPa·s or less. The viscosity of the flavoring composition is measured using a Brookfield viscometer with one of rotors No. 1 to No. 3 at 60 rpm, as indicated one minute after the start of measurement. The flavoring composition is measured at a temperature adjusted to 30±1°C. When the measurement range of the viscometer is obtained with two rotors and the converted viscosities are different, the data for the rotor with the smaller rotor number is used.

[Flavoring agent article]
The fragrance article of the present invention is obtained by filling the fragrance composition of the present invention into a container having a discharge port with a specific opening area. By filling such a container with the composition, not only is it possible to prevent the liquid from spilling out due to tipping over, but also, when using a pump-type dispenser container, for example, it is possible to easily measure out the fabric softener based on the relationship between the pump stroke and the discharge amount.

<Container>
The container according to the present invention is a container equipped with a discharge port having an opening area of 1.0 ^mm2 or more and 15 ^mm2 or less. In the present invention, the opening area of the discharge port may refer, for example, to the opening area of the discharge port through which the contents filled in the container finally pass when being discharged from the container to the outside. The container may be, for example, a container equipped with a discharge port having a diameter disclosed in JP 2002-201488 A. Alternatively, the container may be a container equipped with a dispenser having the aforementioned opening area. As the dispenser, for example, the dispenser disclosed in JP 2009-120234 A can be used. Furthermore, pump containers described in paragraphs [0066] to [0073] of JP 2012-505951 A may be used, in which the opening area of the discharge port is 1.0 ^mm2 or more and 15 ^mm2 or less. From the viewpoint of solving the problems of the present invention, the opening area of the discharge port is 1.0 ^mm2 or more, preferably 2.0 ^mm2 or more, more preferably 3.0 ^mm2 or more, and 15 ^mm2 or less, preferably 13 ^mm2 or less, more preferably 12 ^mm2 or less. Examples of the container according to the present invention include a pump container, a push-pull container, and a squeeze container. A pump container, and a pump-type dispenser container are preferred from the viewpoint of ease of use.

The fragrance article of the present invention is suitable for use on textile products, including clothing, fabrics, bedding, towels, etc.

When applying the fragrance article of the present invention to textile products, the required amount can be dispensed from the container and used together with a conventional fabric softener. For example, a predetermined amount can be dispensed into the fabric softener dispenser of a washing machine.

[Method for adding fragrance to textile products]
The present invention relates to a method for perfumery of textiles, in which the textiles are perfumed with the fragrance composition of the present invention.
The method for flavoring a textile product of the present invention can be appropriately applied to the matters described for the flavoring composition of the present invention. Component (A), component (B), component (C), component (D), optional component (E), component (F), component (G), and other components are the same as those described for the flavoring composition of the present invention.
In the present invention, for example, a textile product can be scented by contacting the textile product with a treatment liquid containing the fragrance composition of the present invention and water.

The method for scenting textile products of the present invention involves contacting clothing with the fragrance composition and fabric softener ejected from the fragrance article of the present invention, preferably in an amount of 0.1 to 0.4% by mass relative to the mass of the clothing. This method makes it possible to impart a fragrance to clothing that is more refined than the scent of conventional fabric softeners.

In the textile product fragrance application method of the present invention, the amount of component (A) relative to the mass of the textile product is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.3% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 8% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of imparting a long-lasting fragrance to the textile product. In the textile product fragrance application method of the present invention, it is preferable to use the fragrance article of the present invention in this amount.

The amount of water in which the fragrance composition is dissolved can generally be determined by the bath ratio. In this specification, "bath ratio" refers to the ratio of the mass of clothing to the volume of water containing the liquid fabric softener composition, i.e., [volume of water (liters)] / [mass of clothing (kg)]. When the water containing the liquid fabric softener composition is brought into contact with the clothing using a washing machine or the like while agitating the water, the bath ratio is preferably 10 or more, more preferably 15 or more, even more preferably 17 or more, and preferably 50 or less, more preferably 40 or less, and even more preferably 30 or less, from the viewpoint of reducing friction between clothing pieces and suppressing the generation of fluff and pilling.

The components used in the examples are listed below.
<Component (A)>
(A-1) Amber fragrance composition shown in Table 1 (A-2) Citrus fragrance composition shown in Table 1

<(B) component>
(B-1) Polyoxypropylene polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (a compound having an average number of moles of propyleneoxy groups added of 4 and an average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added of 17, in which 9 moles of ethylene oxide are added first, followed by 4 moles of propylene oxide, and then by 8 moles of ethylene oxide), a compound in which, in general formula (b1), R ^1b is an alkyl group having 12 carbon atoms, mb is 17, nb is 4, and R ^2b is a hydrogen atom

<Component (B') (comparison component to component (B)>
(B'-1): Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (a nonionic surfactant having an average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added of 9)

<(C) component>
(C-1): Ethylene glycol (molecular weight: 62, melting point: -12°C, boiling point: 198°C)
(C-2): Glycerin (molecular weight: 92, melting point: 18°C, boiling point: 290°C)
(C-3): Propylene glycol (molecular weight: 76, melting point: -59°C, boiling point: 188°C)
(C-4): Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether (molecular weight: 138, melting point: -1°C, boiling point: 247°C)

<(D) component>
Deionized water

<(E) component>
(E-1): A nonionic surfactant obtained by adding ethylene oxide to a linear secondary alcohol having 12 or 14 carbon atoms, the unreacted alcohol having been removed to give a concentration of 0%, and the average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added is 3. In the general formula (e1), R ^1e is a linear alkyl group having 12 or 14 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a secondary carbon atom, and mc is 3. (E-2): A nonionic surfactant obtained by adding ethylene oxide to a linear secondary alcohol having 12 or 14 carbon atoms, the unreacted alcohol having been removed to give a concentration of 0%, and the average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added is 7. In the general formula (
e1), compounds in which R ^1e is a linear alkyl group having 12 or 14 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a secondary carbon atom, and mc is 7.

<Component (F)>
(F-1): n-tetradecyldimethylethylammonium ethyl sulfate (F-2): lauryldimethylbenzylammonium chloride

<(G) component>
(G-1): Hydrochloric acid

<Other ingredients>
Chelating agent: Methylglycine diacetate sodium salt (0.01% by mass [*])
Antifoaming agent: Dimethylpolysiloxane and silica mixed antifoaming agent (manufactured by The Dow Chemical Company) (0.01% by mass)
Preservative: Proxel BDN (83 ppm)
*The numbers in parentheses indicate the concentration in the composition of the example or comparative example. Because the amount blended was small, the composition of the example or comparative example in Table 2 is indicated as "trace amount."

[Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3]
(1) Preparation of Flavoring Compositions Flavoring compositions were prepared by mixing the components to obtain the formulations shown in Table 2. Specifically, the formulations are as follows. The mass % of the compositions in the table refers to the mass % of the active ingredient.

Component (D), which is deionized water in an amount equivalent to 45% by mass of the amount required to produce 200 g of flavoring composition, along with components (B), (C), a chelating agent, a preservative, and optional component (E), were placed in a 300 mL beaker, and a mixed solution was obtained by stirring, as needed, using a stirring blade to ensure that component (B) was uniformly dissolved in the deionized water. The stirring blades used were three blades, with the long side at a 90-degree angle relative to the central axis of rotation of a 5 mm diameter stirring rod, with the long side/short side of the blades measuring 3 cm/1.5 cm and the blades positioned at a 45-degree angle relative to the plane of rotation.

The mixture was stirred (300 rpm) with the stirring blade. An optional component (F) was then added to the reaction mixture, and after addition, the mixture was stirred for 5 minutes. Next, component (A) was added and stirred for 5 minutes. Component (G) was then added and stirred for 3 minutes. Ion-exchanged water was then added to the mixture to bring the final mass to 200 g, and the mixture was stirred for 5 minutes to obtain a liquid fragrance composition with a viscosity of 5 to 120 mPa·s at 30°C. The pH of the composition was adjusted to 3.2 using hydrochloric acid (component (G)).

<Evaluation of fragrance intensity>
Twenty-four commercially available cotton towels (TW-220, manufactured by Takei Towel Co., Ltd.) were washed five times in a Hitachi fully automatic washing machine NW-6CY using a nonionic surfactant (polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (having an average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups added of 8) in advance (amount of nonionic surfactant used: 4.5 g, standard course, water volume: 45 L, water temperature: 20°C, wash time: 10 minutes, with two reservoir rinses). The towels were then dried for one day under conditions of 25°C and 45% RH.
4.5 L of city water adjusted to 20°C was poured into a National Electric Bucket Washing Machine (MiniMini, NA-35), and two pretreated cotton towels were added and stirred for 1 minute. After stirring, the fragrance composition shown in Table 2 and a commercially available fabric softener (Flair Fragrance, manufactured by Kao Corporation) were added in amounts of 1.5 g and 10 g per 1.5 kg of cotton towels, respectively, and stirred for 5 minutes. The towels were then dehydrated for 3 minutes in the spin tub of a two-tier washing machine (TOSHIBA VH-52G(H)) and dried for 1 day under conditions of 25°C and 45% RH. A cotton towel treated in the same manner as above using city water only, without adding the fragrance composition, was used as a control towel.
Five expert evaluators evaluated the softness of cotton towels treated with the fragrance compositions shown in Table 2 using the following method. The obtained cotton towels were compared with a standard towel, and were scored according to the following criteria, and the average score was calculated.
[Evaluation criteria]
0: Fragrance strength equal to that of the reference towel 0: Slightly more fragrant than the reference towel 2.0: More fragrant than the reference towel 3.0: Clearly more fragrant than the reference towel

<Evaluation of foam suppression>
When a fragrance composition is used in combination with a commercially available fabric softener, foaming during the rinsing step is a problem. If the fragrance composition itself is foamable, it is thought that the diluted system in the rinsing step will also be foamable. Therefore, the foam suppressing properties of the liquid fragrance compositions listed in Table 2 were evaluated by the following method.
A No. 8 screw tube was filled with the liquid flavoring composition shown in Table 2 up to 6 cm from the bottom, and after shaking it in a vertical shaker at 300 rpm for 30 seconds, the foam height was measured.
[Evaluation criteria]
○: Foam height: 0 to 10 mm
△: Foam height: 11 to 20 mm
×: Foam height: 21 mm or more

<Evaluation results>
In Examples 1 to 7 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the results of the fragrance intensity (lingering fragrance) were in the range of 1.0 to 3.0, but in Comparative Example 3 it was less than 1.0.
The results of the foam suppression were rated as good for all of Examples 1 to 7, with excellent foam suppression effects, but the results of the comparative examples were rated as bad, with foam heights exceeding 21 mm.

<Washing machine evaluation>
An evaluation was carried out in a washing machine using the liquid fragrance composition of Example 2 in Table 2 and a commercially available fabric softener (Flair Fragrance, manufactured by Kao Corporation). When 45 L of water, 3.0 kg of clothes, 20 ml of fabric softener, and 3 g of the liquid fragrance composition were washed in a Panasonic washing machine (NA-FA70H6), there was no residue in the washing inlet, and the fragrance of the fragrance was clearly noticeable in terms of fragrance intensity.

Claims (6)

1. A fragrance composition for use in combination with a fabric softener, comprising: (A) a fragrance composition (hereinafter referred to as component (A)) in an amount of 1% by mass to 10% by mass; (B) a nonionic surfactant represented by the following general formula (b1) (hereinafter referred to as component (B)) in an amount of 5.0% by mass to 18.0% by mass; (C) one or more water-soluble solvents selected from ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and glycerin (hereinafter referred to as component (C)) in an amount of 5% by mass to 20% by mass; (F) a cationic surfactant in an amount of 1.0% by mass to 15.0% by mass; and (D) water (hereinafter referred to as component (D)).
R ^1b -O-(EO) _mb (PO) _nb -R ^2b (b1)
(In the formula, R ^1b is an alkyl group having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is a primary carbon atom, and R ^2b is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group. PO is a propyleneoxy group, EO is an ethyleneoxy group, mb and nb are the average numbers of moles added, mb is a number of from 7 to 17 , and nb is a number of from 1 to 5. PO and EO may be bonded in block or random bonds, and the order does not matter.) In the nonionic surfactant represented by the general formula (b1), R ^2b The flavoring composition of claim 1 , wherein is a hydrogen atom. 3. The flavoring agent composition according to claim 1, wherein component (C) is a water-soluble solvent containing at least one selected from propylene glycol and glycerin. 4. The flavoring agent composition according to claim 1, wherein the component (F) is a tertiary amine compound represented by the following general formula (f1) or a quaternary amine compound thereof:
[R ^1F -(TR ^3f ) _mf - _nf N (R ^2F ) _3-nf (f1)
[In the formula, R ^1F represents a hydrocarbon group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, R ^2F represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a benzyl group, and HO—(C _p H _2p O) _r -C _q H _2q When nf=1, R ^2F Two or more of R cannot be simultaneously phenyl or benzyl groups. ^3f represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or -(C _p H _2p O) _r -, and T represents -COO-, -OCO-, -CONH-, -NHCO- or a phenylene group. mf is a number of 0 or 1, nf is a number of 1 or 2, and p and q are each a number of 2 or 3. r is a number of 0 or more and 5 or less. ^1F , R ^2F , HO-(C _p H _2p O) _r -C _q H _2q When a plurality of groups p, q, and r are present, they may be the same or different. The flavoring agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising 1.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less of the component (F). The flavoring agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , comprising 30% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less of component (D).