Agrochemical surfactant compositions

Details Agrochemical surfactant compositions Agrochemical surfactant compositions

1999-08-12

2002-07-02

Pryor, Alton (Department: 1616)

Plant protecting and regulating compositions

Plant growth regulating compositions

Reexamination Certificate

active

06413908

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to agrochemical compostions including adjuvants, and in particular to compositions which contains at least one adjuvant surfactant and a dispersed phase agrochemical.
Agrochemical adjuvants are compounds or mixtures of compounds, which often are or include surfactants, used in the agrochemical industry to enhance the activity or effectiveness of an agrochemical in a formulation. We use the phrase “adjuvant surfactant” to refer to surfactants which have (alone or in combination with other materials) adjuvant effects in agrochemical formulations.
The present invention is directed to compositions including adjuvant surfactants, and specifically to branched primary alcohol alkoxylates, which have interesting adjuvant activity. The adjuvant surfactants can be included in agrochemical formulations by inclusion in agrochemical concentrates or they can be included in spray formulations by tank mixing.
The present invention accordingly provides an aqueous agrochemical composition which includes a dispersed phase agrochemical and as an adjuvant a branched primary alcohol alkoxylate of the formula (I):
[CH
3
.(CH
2
)
n
][CH
3
.(CH
2
)
m
].CH.[(CH
2
)
p
.O.(AO)
q
.H]  (1)
where
n and m, are each independently from 1 to 13; and p is 1 or 2; such that n+m+p is from 8 to 18;
AO is an alkylene oxide residue having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms and is particularly an ethylene oxide residue, a propylene oxide residue or a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide residues; and
q is from 2to 30.
We use the phrase “dispersed phase agrochemical” to refer to a material which has agrochemical activity and which is substantially insoluble in water and is used in the form a dispersion of particles of or including the solid or liquid agrochemical in water. Solid dispersed particles can be of the agrochemical itself or of the agrochemical supported on mixed with other solid (insoluble) material(s). Similarly, liquid dispersed particles can be of the agrochemical itself or of the agrochemical dissolved or dispersed (as a solid or as a solution in a second non-aqueous internal liquid phase) in a non-aqueous liquid. The aqueous formulations containing dispersed agrochemical are typically applied to plants, or the immediate environment of plants e.g. the soil around the plants, by spraying.
We refer to various types of compositions and formulations. “Agrochemical compositions” are compositions including an active agrochemical and refers all forms of compositions including concentrates and spray formulations. “Spray formulations” are aqueous agrochemical formulations including all the components which it is desired to apply to the plants or their environment in a form and at a concentration (dilution) appropriate for spraying. Spray formulations can be made up by simple dilution of concentrates containing desired components (other than water), or by mixing of the individual components, or a combination of diluting a concentrate and adding further individual components or mixtures of components. Typically such end use mixing is carried out in the tank from which the formulation is sprayed or a holding tank for filling the spray tank and commonly such mixing and mixtures are called tank mixing and tank mixtures. “Agrochemical concentrates” are agrochemical compositions, which may be aqueous or non-aqueous, which are designed to be diluted with water (or a water based liquid) to form the corresponding spray formulations and include such compositions in liquid form such as solutions, emulsions or dispersions and in solid form, especially in water dispersible solid form, such as granules or powders. “Emulsifyable concentrates” are liquid “agrochemical concentrates” including the active agrochemical in solution or dispersion, usually also including dispersant and/or emulsifier surfactant, which readily emulsify on dilution in water, typically with no more than gentle stirring.
In compounds of the formula (I), n and m are desirably each independently at least 2 and not more than 12, p is desirably 1 and the total number of carbon atoms in the branched alkyl residue is desirably from 8 to 18, particularly 10 to 14 and especially is 12 (corresponding to n+m+p from 5 to 15, particularly 7 to 11 and especially 9). The alkylene oxide groups are desirably all ethylene oxide residues or mixtures of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide residues, desirably having a molar ratio of ethylene oxide residues to propylene oxide residues of from 1:5 to 10:1.When the alkylene oxide residues are mixed ethylene oxide and propylene oxide residues, the polyoxy-alkylene chain can be a random or block copolymeric chain. Within the range 2 to 30, q is desirably 5 to 20 and generally q is larger where the number of carbon atoms in the branched alkyl residue is larger. The number of units in the polyoxyalkylene chain, ‘q’, is an average value and may be non-integral.
The alkoxylate compounds of the formula (I) used in this invention can be made by alkoxylation of the corresponding branched primary alcohols under conventional alkoxylation conditions, typically under alkali catalysis, particularly alkoxide catalysis e.g. using NaOH or KOH to form alkoxide in situ). The branched primary alcohols can be substantially wholly branched alcohols as can be made by the guerbet process e.g. 2-butyloctanol, 2-butyidecanol, 2-butyidodectanol, 2-hexyl-octanol, 2-hexyldecanol, 2-hexyldodectanol and 2-octyldecanol; or they can be mixtures of the above branched primary alcohols with linear primary alcohols, containing similar numbers of carbon atoms, such as can be made by the oxo process starting with internal olefins. The proportion of branched primary alcohol of the formula (I) in the alcohol used as the starting material for alkoxylation is desirably at least 40% and more usually at least about 50%.
Where the agrochemical is present in the aqueous end use formulation as solid particles, most usually it will be present as particles mainly of active agrochemical. However, if desired, the active agrochemical can be supported on a solid carrier.
Where the dispersed phase is a non-aqueous liquid, it will typically be an oil. The oil may be or include a mineral oil, including aliphatic (paraffin) mineral oils and aromatic mineral or synthetic oils, such as those sold under the trade name Solvesso; an optionally hydrogenated vegetable oil, such as an optionally hydrogenated cotton seed oil, linseed oil, mustard oil, neem oil, niger seed oil, oiticica oil, olive oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, peanut oil, perilla oil, poppy seed oil, rape seed oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, or soybean oil; an ester oil (a synthetic ester oil), especially a C
1-6
ester of a C
8-22
fatty acid, especially a C
12-18
fatty acid, or a mixture of esters, such as methyl laurate, heptadecanoate, heptadecenoate, heptadecadienoate, stearate or oleate, and in particular methyl laurate and oleate; N-methylpyrrolidone; or an isoparaffin; or a mixture of such oils.
The adjuvant surfactant of the formula (I) will typically be used in an amount in proportion to the amount of the active agrochemical. In spray formulations (typically at a spray application rate of from 10 to 500 l.ha
−1
) typical agrochemical concentrations are in the range from about 0.001 to about 1% by weight of the spray formulation and in such systems the adjuvant surfactant will typically be used at a concentration of from 0.01 to 2%, more usually from 0.03 to 0.5%, by weight of the spray formulation, approximately corresponding to a ratio of adjuvant to active agrochemical of from about 1:10 to about 500:1. This ratio range will generally be maintained for concentrate forms of formulations e.g. where the adjuvant is included in a dispersible liquid concentrate or dispersible solid granule formulation. However, in using such concentrates, it is possible to add further components, including adjuvants, in tank mixing.
In solid dispersible granules, the proportion of adjuvant will depend on the extent to which relatively inert materials

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Agrochemical surfactant compositions does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Agrochemical surfactant compositions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Agrochemical surfactant compositions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2840389