Composition

Abstract

There is provided composition comprising i) a thermoplastic polymer ii) a compound having the formula wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from an acyl group or a hydrogen atom, wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an acyl group (a short acyl group) having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is a branched chain acyl group (a long acyl group) consisting of a saturated chain having 10 to 20 carbon atoms and a hydrophilic branch group.

1 - 36 . (canceled)  
   
   
       37 . A process for the preparation of a compound having the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are independently selected from an acyl group or a hydrogen atom, wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  is an acyl group (a short acyl group) having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  is a branched chain acyl group (a long acyl group) consisting of a chain having 10 to 20 carbon atoms and a hydrophilic branch group; the process comprising the steps of: 
 (a) acylating a first triglyceride compound of the formula  
                     
 wherein each R 1A , R 2A  and R 3A  is a fatty acid group consisting of or having a chain having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, to provide an acylated triglyceride compound;  
 (b) reacting the acylated triglyceride with a second triglyceride compound of the formula  
                     
 wherein each R 1B , R 2B  and R 3B  is an acyl group (a short acyl group) having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and  
 (c) purifying to give the compound of the formula  
                     
 
   
   
       38 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the first triglyceride compound acylated in step (a) is the triglyceride of ricinoleic acid.  
   
   
       39 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the second triglyceride compound in step (b) is triacetin.  
   
   
       40 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the first triglyceride compound is acylated in step (a) with acetic anhydride.  
   
   
       41 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the purification step (c) is carried out by distillation.  
   
   
       42 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the first triglyceride is obtained from a hardened caster oil.  
   
   
       43 . A process according to  claim 37 , wherein the wherein the first triglyceride is obtained from an unhardened caster oil.  
   
   
       44 . A process according to  claim 38  wherein the first triglyceride is acylated in step (a) such that the triglyceride contains at least one acetic acid group per mole of triglyceride.  
   
   
       45 . A process according to  claim 38  wherein the first triglyceride is acylated in step (a) such that the triglyceride contains up to the average of three acetic acid groups per mole of triglyceride.  
   
   
       46 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the hydrophilic branch group of the compound is an acyl group or a derivative thereof.  
   
   
       47 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the hydrophilic branch group is a group of the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein p is from 0 to 4.  
   
   
       48 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein two of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are the short acyl groups and wherein the other of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  is a long acyl group.  
   
   
       49 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the chain of the long acyl group consists of a chain having 14 to 20 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       50 . A process according to  claim 49  wherein the chain of the long acyl group consists of a chain having 16 to 20 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       51 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the short acyl group is an acyl group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       52 . A process according to  claim 51  wherein the short acyl group is an acyl group having 2 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       53 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the short acyl group is present in an amount, on average, of no greater than 2 moles per mole of glycerol and esters thereof.  
   
   
       54 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the long acyl group is present in an amount, on average, of at least 0.4 moles, preferably from 0.9 to 2 moles, more preferably from 0.9 to 1 moles per mole of glycerol and esters thereof.  
   
   
       55 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the total amount of the acyl groups is, on average, 2.7 to 3.0 moles per mole of glycerol and esters thereof.  
   
   
       56 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the compound has the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       57 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the compound has the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       58 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the compound has the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
   
   
       59 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein the compound has the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein two of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6  are of the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein for each of the two of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6  q is independently selected from 0 to 3 and the other of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6  is a branched group of the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein n is from 10 to 20 and m is 2n, and wherein p is from 0 to 4.  
   
   
       60 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein n is from 16 to 20.  
   
   
       61 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein n is from 16 to 18.  
   
   
       62 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein n is 17.  
   
   
       63 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein the branched group is a group of the formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein x is from 7 to 10 and y is 2x.  
   
   
       64 . A process according to  claim 63  wherein x is 10.  
   
   
       65 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein p is from 1 to 4.  
   
   
       66 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein p is 2 or 4.  
   
   
       67 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein p is from 1 to 3.  
   
   
       68 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein q is from 1 to 4.  
   
   
       69 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein q is 2 or 4.  
   
   
       70 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein q is from 1 to 3.  
   
   
       71 . A process according to  claim 59  wherein q is 0.  
   
   
       72 . A process for the preparation of a composition comprising the step of adding 
 (i) a thermoplastic polymer, to    (ii) a compound having the formula                          wherein R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are independently selected from an acyl group or a hydrogen atom, wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  is an acyl group (a short acyl group) having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2  and R 3  is a branched chain acyl group (a long acyl group) consisting of a chain having 10 to 20 carbon atoms and a hydrophilic branch group.    
   
   
       73 . A process according to  claim 72 , wherein the compound (ii) is prepared by a process according to claim  1 .  
   
   
       74 . A process according to  claim 72 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is or comprises a vinyl chloride polymer or a vinyl chloride copolymer selected from vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride/vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride/ethylene copolymer and a copolymer prepared by grafting vinyl chloride onto ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       75 . A composition according to  claim 72 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is or comprises a polymer blend of a thermoplastic polymer and a second polymer.  
   
   
       76 . A composition according to  claim 75 , wherein the second polymer is a methacryl polymer or an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer.  
   
   
       77 . A composition according according to  claim 72 , wherein the composition comprises the compound in an amount of 1 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic polymer.