Phosphorus-Containing Carboxamides and their Evaluation on Cotton Fabrics1

Abstract

A new compound, tris(2-carbamoylethyl)phosphine, was synthesized by the reaction of ammonium hydroxide with the ethyl or methyl ester of tris (2-carboxyethyl)phosphine. Tris(2-carbamoylethyl)phosphine oxide was also prepared by the method of M. M. Rauhut and others [10]. The methylol derivatives of these two compounds were pre pared and applied to cotton fabric with zinc nitrate and magnesium chloride catalysts. High wrinkle resistance and moderate flame resistance were simultaneously imparted to the fabric. Strength losses were comparable to those of the commonly used methylol- amide finishing agents for cotton. Fabrics treated with either of the compounds were damaged in the chlorine retention test. Both of the fabric finishes were more resistant to acidic than to alkaline hydrolysis, but the phosphine oxide finish was more resistant to both acidic and alkaline hydrolysis than the phosphine finish.