The antibacterial activity of a series of quaternaries prepared from hexamethylenetetramine and halohydrocarbons.

A series of quaternaries prepared from hexamethylenetetramine and halohydrocarbons are shown to possess antimicrobial activity which depends upon the slow release of formaldehyde over a wide pH range. The rate of release appears to depend upon the halohydrocarbon moiety to a large extent. Toxicological studies show that these products can be used safely as industrial preservatives for aqueous emulsions such as soluble oils and latex systems.