Dyeing process and auxiliary

Dyeing of cellulosic substrates with reactive dyes in the presence of at least 20 g/l of sodium chloride, employing auxiliaries (E) of levelling activity, which are methylene-bridge-containing and sulpho-group-containing aromatic compounds, obtainable by condensation of defined sulphonation products with formaldehyde resp. formaldehyde-yielding compounds and optionally salt formation; (E)-contaning compositions that further contain at least one hydrotrope (H) and/or at least one sequestering agent (Q); and novel condensation products.

I claim:

1. A dyeing auxiliary composition for dyeing with reactive dyes, which contains an auxiliary (E), and a sequestering agent (Q) and optionally a hydrotrope (H), (E) being a methylene-bridge-containing and sulpho-group-containing aromatic product or mixture of products, that is obtainable by sulphonation of

(a) at least one aromatic hydrocarbon compound with 9 to 18 carbon atoms, to introduce on average at least 1.1 sulpho groups per molecule of (a), and of

(b) at least one optionally alkyl-substituted diphenyl(thio)ether, to introduce on average at least 1.1 sulpho groups per molecule of (b), and condensation of the sulphonation products of (a) and of (b) with (c) formaldehyde or a formaldehyde-yielding compound in acidic medium, and optionally salt formation.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein (Q) is

(Q.sub.1) an alkali metal tetraborate,

(Q.sub.2) a (co)poly(meth)acrylic acid, optionally in salt form,

(Q.sub.3) a N-methylene-phosphonic or -carboxylic acid, optionally in salt form, or

(Q.sub.4) a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid, optionally in salt form, or a mixture of two or more of these compounds.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein (H) is

(H.sub.1) (thio)urea,

(H.sub.2) an aliphatic C.sub.3-6 -polyol with at least 3 hydroxy groups or an acetic acid partial ester thereof.

4. An aqueous concentrate composition for dyeing with reactive dyes, comprising water and 10-80% by weight dry substance, said dry substance being a mixture of a dyeing auxiliary (E) with a sequestering agent (Q) and optionally a hydrotrope (H), (E) being a methylene-bridge-containing and sulpho-group-containing aromatic product or mixture of products, that is obtainable by sulphonation of

(a) at least one aromatic hydrocarbon compound with 9 to 18 carbon atoms, to introduce on average at least 1.1 sulpho groups per molecule of (a), and of

(b) at least one optionally alkyl-substituted diphenyl(thio)ether, to introduce on average at least 1.1 sulpho groups per molecule of (b), and condensation of the sulphonation products of (a) and of (b) with (c) formaldehyde or a formaldehyde-yielding compound in acidic medium, and optionally salt formation; the weight ratio of (Q) to (E) being 8 to 60 parts by weight Q for every 100 parts of E.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein (Q) is

(Q.sub.1) an alkali metal tetraborate,

(Q.sub.2) a (co)poly(meth)acrylic acid, optionally in salt form,

(Q.sub.3) a N-methylene-phosphonic or -carboxylic acid, optionally in salt form, or

(Q.sub.4) a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid, optionally in salt form, or a mixture of two or more of these compounds.

6. The composition of claim 4 wherein the optional hydrotrope (H) is employed, and is employed at 5 to 60 parts by weight for every 100 parts of Q.

7. The composition of claim 6, wherein (H) is

(H.sub.1) (thio)urea,

(H.sub.2) an aliphatic C.sub.3-6 -polyol with at least 3 hydroxy groups or an acetic acid partial ester thereof.