(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7.655,597 B1 Sanders (45) Date of Patent: Feb
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USOO7655597 B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7.655,597 B1 Sanders (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 2, 2010 (54) PESTICIDE COMPOSITIONS INCLUDING 4,867,972 A 9, 1989 Girardeau et al. POLYMERC AIDUVANTS 6,093,679 A 7/2000 AZuma et al. 6,146,652 A 11/2000 Gore et al. 6,515,091 B2 2/2003 Sanders et al. (75) Inventor: John Larry Sanders, Leawood, KS 6,610,282 B1 8, 2003 Ghosh (US) 6,677,399 B2 1/2004 Herbert et al. 6,703,469 B2 3/2004 Sanders et al. (73) Assignee: Specialty Fertilizer Products, LLC, 6,706,666 B2 3/2004 HaSebe et al. Leawood, KS (US) 6,897,184 B2 5/2005 Kurita et al. 7,407,667 B2 8, 2008 Zerrer et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2004/0226331 A1 11/2004 Sanders et al. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2004/0248741 A1 12/2004 Gotsche et al. U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 2005/00904O2 A1* 4/2005 Dieing et al. ............... 504,361 2008.0167189 A1 7/2008 Oetter et al. (21) Appl. No.: 12/534,481 2008.0171658 A1 7/2008 Dyllick-Brenzinger et al. (22) Filed: Aug. 3, 2009 * cited by examiner Primary Examiner Johann R Richter (51) Int. Cl. Assistant Examiner—Andriae M Holt AOIN 25/00 (2006.01) (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Hovey Williams LLP AOIN 57/26 (2006.01) AOIN 25/28 (2006.01) (57) ABSTRACT (52) U.S. Cl. .................... 504/116.1; 504/206; 504/360; 504/361 Pesticidal compositions of improved effectiveness are pro (58) Field of Classification Search ................. 424/406, vided, including a pesticide (e.g., an insecticide or herbicide) 424/407,408, 409; 504/116.1, 189, 206, together with a copolymer adjuvant or additive selected from 504/207, 326,360, 361 the group consisting of acid or salt copolymers containing See application file for complete search history. individual quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties. The compositions of the invention provide multiple-fold increases (56) References Cited in effectiveness, as compared with an equal amount of the U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS pesticide in the absence of the copolymer. 4,557,929 A 12/1985 Wysong 18 Claims, No Drawings US 7,655,597 B1 1. 2 PESTICIDE COMPOSITIONS INCLUDING maleic copolymers are the preponderant polymer fraction in POLYMERC AIDUVANTS the compositions. Generally, the compositions include respective pesticide and polymeric fractions, with the poly BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION meric fraction having at least about 60% by weight (more preferably at least about 80% by weight, and most preferably 1. Field of the Invention at least about 90% by weight) of the preferreditaconic/maleic The present invention is broadly concerned with pesticide copolymers, where the total weight of the polymer fraction is compositions and methods wherein the compositions include taken as 100% by weight. Most preferably, the polymer frac a broad class of pesticides, especially insecticides and herbi tion consists essentially of the itaconic/maleic copolymers, cides and mixtures thereof, together with an amount of a 10 i.e., it is essentially free of other types of monomers. copolymer adjuvant or additive serving to significantly The compositions of the invention can be used in essen increase the effectiveness of the pesticide. More particularly, tially any context where pesticidal properties are necessary or the invention is concerned with Such compositions and meth desirable, e.g., in agricultural uses for soil or foliar applica ods wherein a copolymer including respective quantities of tions, or onto hard Surfaces such as in home or building pest maleic and itaconic moieties is mixed or used with a selected 15 control. Likewise, the compositions may be applied by any pesticide. known means as liquids or solids. In agricultural applications, 2. Description of the Prior Art the compositions are preferably aqueous dispersions or solu The chemistries of pesticides, and especially insecticides tions, Suitable for broadcast spray application. Generally, the and herbicides, are diverse and well known. Large numbers of compositions of the invention provide at least about a two Such pesticides have been developed in the past, some of fold, and more preferably about a three-fold, greater pesti which are broad spectrum (e.g., glyphosate) while others cidal effectiveness, as compared with an equal amount of the have more specific utilities (e.g., triazine for corn). In all pesticide in the absence of the copolymer adjuvant or additive instances, however, efforts are made to minimize the use of hereof. pesticide to obtain the same or enhanced effectiveness. This is done for reasons of cost and also to minimize the environ 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED mental impact of pesticidal usage. EMBODIMENTS A wide variety of adjuvants and additives have been used in the past with pesticidal formulations. These include pH modi fiers, Surfactants, anti-foam agents, anti-evaporants, buffers, The present invention is predicated upon the discovery that penetrating agents, compatibility agents, defoamers, deposi 30 the effectiveness of a wide spectrum of pesticides can be tion agents, drift-control agents with sprays, extenders, foam significantly improved by a copolymeric adjuvant or additive. ing agents, humectants, spreaders, stickers, wetting agents, Most desirably, the copolymer is blended with the pesticide to and water conditioners. While these expedients are known to form a mixture which then can be applied to soil, in foliar marginally increase pesticide performance, in general they do applications, onto hard Surfaces, as aerosols, as additives to not provide significant, multiple-fold increases in pesticidal 35 liquid or Solid compositions (e.g., manure), or in any other context where pesticidal activity is desired. Alternately, the effectiveness. pesticide and copolymer may be simultaneously or sequen There is accordingly a real and unsatisfied need in the art tially (typically within 24 hours of each other) applied to soil. for a class of adjuvants or additives which can very signifi Where mixed compositions are employed, they are typically cantly increase the effectiveness of pesticides without them in the form of aqueous dispersions or solutions, generally selves posing excessive cost or environmental impact prob 40 having water, pesticide, and copolymer fractions. Other lems. minor ingredients may also be used in the compositions such SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION as Surfactants and pH adjustment agents, or any of the other aforementioned adjuvants or additives known in the art. The present invention overcomes the problems outlined 45 The pesticides used in the compositions of the invention above and provides pesticide compositions comprising are broadly selected from insecticides and herbicides. In the respective quantities of a pesticide and a copolymer contain context of insecticides, synthetic pyrethroids and organo ing individual quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties. The phosphates are particularly preferred. For example, per pesticide component can be any agent with pesticidal activity methrin (C21H20C1203, (3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl 3-(2,2- (e.g., herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and nematocides) 50 dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate, and is preferably selected from the group consisting of insec CAS#52645-53-1) and bifenthrin (C23H22ClF302, (2-me ticides, herbicides, and mixtures thereof. The well known thyl-3-phenylphenyl)methyl (1S,3S)-3-(Z)-2-chloro-3,3,3- pyrethroid and organophosphate pesticides are Suitable for trifluoroprop-1-enyl-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxy use in the invention, as well as glyphosate herbicides. late, CASH82657-04-3) are suitable pyrethroids. A typical The preferred copolymer adjuvants of the invention are the 55 organophosphate pesticide useful in the invention is copolymers containing maleic and itaconic moieties, usually malathion (C10H1906PS2.2-(dimethoxyphosphi derived from the corresponding acids or anhydrides. While nothioylthio) butanedioic acid diethyl ester, CASH 121-75-5). other monomers may also be used in the maleic-itaconic More generally, the following insecticides are useful in the copolymers, it is preferred that these be present only in minor invention: amounts of up to about 7% by weight, more preferably up to 60 antibiotic insecticides: allosamidin, thuringiensin about 4% by weight. Stated otherwise, the copolymers should comprise at least about 93% by weight, more preferably about macrocyclic lactone insecticides 96% by weight, of itaconic and maleic monomers. Most avermectin insecticides: abamectin, doramectin, ema preferably, the copolymer consists essentially of or is entirely mectin, eprinomectin, ivermectin, Selamectin made up of maleic and itaconic moieties. Furthermore, while 65 milbemycin insecticides: lepimectin, ilbemectin, milbe other polymers or copolymers can form a part of the compo mycin Oxime, moxidectin sitions of the invention, in preferred aspects, the itaconic/ spinosyn insecticides: spinetoram, spinosad US 7,655,597 B1 3 4 arsenical insecticides: calcium arsenate, copper acetoarsen organochlorine insecticides: bromo-DDT, camphechlor, ite, copper arsenate, lead arsenate, potassium arsenite, DDT (pp'-DDT), ethyl-DDD, HCH (gamma-HCH, lin Sodium arsenite dane), methoxychlor, pentachlorophenol, TDE botanical insecticides: anabasine, azadirachtin, d-limonene, cyclodiene insecticides: aldrin, bromocyclen, chlorbicy nicotine, pyrethrins (cinerins (cinerin I, cinerin II), jasmo 5 clen, chlordane, chlordecone, dieldrin, dilor, endosulfan lin I, jasmolin II, pyrethrin I, pyrethrin II), quassia, roten (alpha-endosulfan), endrin, HEOD,