New thiodiglykolalkxylat derivatives, methods for their manufacture and their use as plasticizers for textiles

The invention concerns new alkoxylated thiodiglycolsuphoxide and thiodiglycolsufphone derivatives of general formula (I), in which X1 and/or X2 are hydroxyl-substituted alkyl groups and/or acyl groups from alkylmonocarboxylic acids, in each case with 8 to 30 C-atoms, R is hydrogen or methyl and z is 1 (sulphoxides) or 2 (sulphones), n is a number from zero to 25 and m is a number from 1 to 25. Also described is a method of preparing the compounds disclosed, starting with the alkoxylation of thiodiglycol, reacting the alkoxylated thiodiglycols with alpha -olefin epoxides or monocarboxylic acids, and subsequently oxidizing the products with hydrogen peroxide to give the corresponding sulphoxide or sulphone, as well as the use of the alkoxylated thiodiglycol compounds of the general formula (I) as brightening components in textile washing and/or rinsing agents, particularly in rinse-bath brightening, optimized as an aqueous mixture of active ingredients.