Solvent systems for dicyandiamide and/or alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and use in agricultural applications

A method of making a solid or concentrated liquid fertilizer composition comprising treating one or more nitrogenous fertilizer compounds with a liquid inhibitor composition that comprises at least one of a dicyandiamide, or an alkyl thiophosphoric triamide, or a mixture thereof, dispersed in a liquid medium, wherein the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide comprises N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide,

• wherein the dicyandiamide, the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or the mixture thereof is 5 to 60 wt %, by total weight of the liquid inhibitor composition,
• the liquid medium comprising:
• at least one organophosphate solvent of formula (VIII):
• wherein R1, R2 and R3, are each independently chosen from H, a C1-C16 alkyl group, a C1-C16 alkenyl, group, a C1-C16 alkoxyalkyl group, a C7-C30 alkylarylalkyl group, a C7-C30 arylalkyl group, or an aryl group;
• provided that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 is not H, which is 1.5 to 9.9 wt. %, by total weight of the liquid inhibitor composition;
• and
• dimethylsulfoxide and optionally a co-solvent.

A concentrated liquid fertilizer composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the composition:

• (a) up to about 99 parts by weight of one or more nitrogenous fertilizer compounds, and
• (b) a liquid agricultural composition comprising:
• an alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or a mixture comprising the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and a dicyandiamide, wherein the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide comprises N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide,
• at least one organophosphate solvent of formula (VIII):
• wherein R1, R2 and R3 in formula (VIII), are each independently chosen from H, a C1-C16 alkyl group, a C1-C16 alkenyl, group, a C1-C16 alkoxyalkyl group, a C7-C30 alkylarylalkyl group, a C7-C30 arylalkyl group, or an aryl group;
• provided that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 in formula (VIII) is not H,
• which is 1.5 to 9.9 wt. %, by total weight of the liquid agricultural composition, and
• dimethylsulfoxide, and optionally, at least one co-solvent,
• wherein the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or a mixture comprising the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and the dicyandiamide is 5 to 60 wt %, by total weight of:
• the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or the mixture comprising the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and the dicyandiamide,
• the at least one organophosphate solvent,
• the dimethylsulfoxide and, if present the co-solvent.

A method of making an aqueous end use fertilizer composition comprising contacting one or more nitrogenous fertilizer compounds with an inhibitor composition, the inhibitor composition comprising:

• an alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or a mixture comprising the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and a dicyandiamide, dispersed in a liquid medium,
• wherein the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide comprises N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide,
• the liquid medium comprising at least one organophosphate solvent of formula (VIII):
• wherein R1, R2 and R3 in formula (VIII), are each independently chosen from H, a C1-C16 alkyl group, a C1-C16 alkenyl, group, a C1-C16 alkoxyalkyl group, a C7-C30 alkylarylalkyl group, a C7-C30 arylalkyl group, or an aryl group;
• provided that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 in formula (VIII) is not H,
• which is 1.5 to 9.9 wt. %, by total weight of the inhibitor composition;
• and
• dimethylsulfoxide,
• wherein the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide or the mixture comprising the alkyl thiophosphoric triamide and the dicyandiamide is 5 to 60 wt %, by total weight of the inhibitor composition.

A liquid agricultural composition consisting of

• at least one inhibitor selected from the group consisting of a nitrification inhibitor, a urease inhibitor and a mixture thereof, wherein N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide and optionally dicyandiamide is at least one said inhibitor;
• an organophosphate solvent of formula (VIII):
• wherein R1, R2 and R3 in formula (VIII), are each independently chosen from H, a C1-C16 alkyl group, a C1-C16 alkenyl, group, a C1-C16 alkoxyalkyl group, a C7-C30 alkylarylalkyl group, a C7-C30 arylalkyl group, or an aryl group;
• provided that at least one of R1, R2 or R3 in formula (VIII) is not H,
• which is 1.5 to 9.9 wt. %, by total weight of the composition;
• dimethylsulfoxide;
• optionally, at least one co-solvent selected from:
• (a) at least one dioxolane compound of formula (III):
• wherein R6 and R7 individually comprises a hydrogen, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or a phenyl group, wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 10;
• b) at least one dibasic ester;
• c) at least one compound of formula (IIa):
• R3OOC-A-CONR4R5 (IIa),
• wherein R3 in formula (IIa) comprises a C1-C36 alkyl group;
• wherein R4 and R5 individually comprise a C1-C36 alkyl group, wherein R4 and R5 can optionally together form a ring;
• and wherein A is a linear or a branched divalent C2-C6 alkyl group;
• d) at least one alkyldimethylamide;
• e) at least one alkyl lactate;
• f) ethyl levulinate;
• g) at least one alkyoxyalcohol, ether alcohol, amine alcohol, amino alcohol or alcohol;
• h) at least one glycerine or glycerine derivative;
• or
• i) at least one alkylene carbonate;
• optionally fertilizer, wherein at least one said fertilizer is a nitrogenous fertilizer;
• optionally water;
• optionally at least one dye;
• and
• optionally monoethanolamine as a stabilizer,
• wherein the N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide or a mixture of the N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide and the dicyandiamide is 5 to 60 wt %, by total weight of the inhibitor, organophosphate solvent, dimethylsulfoxide, and, if present, co-solvent.