# US 12,108,760 B2 · Herbicidal compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,108,760 B2 - Document ID: US12108760B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/962,895 - Filed: 2018-12-28 - Published: 2021-03-04 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-17 - Assignees: Monsanto Technology LLC - Applicants: Monsanto Technology LLC - Inventors: Ashoke K. SenGupta; Thimmareddy Thatiparti; Junhua Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12108760B2 ## CPC - A01N 25/28: Microcapsules {or nanocapsules} - A01P 13/02: selective - A01N 25/04: Dispersions, {emulsions, suspoemulsions, suspension concentrates} or gels (foams A01N25/16) - A01N 25/30: characterised by the surfactants - A01N 25/32: Ingredients for reducing the noxious effect of the active substances to organisms other than pests, e.g. toxicity reducing compositions, self-destructing compositions - A01N 37/26: containing the group [IMAGE cpc-sch-A01N-0936.gif]; Thio analogues thereof - A01N 37/40: having at least one carboxylic group or a thio analogue, or a derivative thereof, and one oxygen or sulfur atom attached to the same aromatic ring system - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - A01P: BIOCIDAL, PEST REPELLANT, PEST ATTRACTANT OR PLANT GROWTH REGULATORY ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR PREPARATIONS ## Abstract The present invention generally relates to herbicidal compositions such as aqueous herbicidal concentrate compositions and application mixtures. For example, the present invention relates to aqueous herbicidal concentrate compositions comprising an encapsulated acetamide herbicide and a second, unencapsulated herbicide. The present invention also relates to various processes for preparing and using these herbicidal compositions. The present invention further relates to herbicidal concentrate compositions having a high loading of an auxin herbicide and methods of preparing these concentrate compositions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aqueous herbicidal concentrate composition comprising: (a) microcapsules dispersed in an aqueous liquid medium wherein the microcapsules comprise a core material comprising an acetamide herbicide and a polyurea shell wall encapsulating the core material, wherein the acetamide herbicide concentration in the composition on an active ingredient basis is at least about 10 wt. %, and (b) an auxin herbicide component comprising an anion of an auxin herbicide and a salt-forming cation, wherein the auxin herbicide concentration in the composition on an acid equivalent basis is at least about 1 wt. %, and wherein the composition satisfies the following conditions: (i) a pH that is no greater than about 3.8; (ii) a molar ratio of the salt-forming cation to the anion of the auxin herbicide that is no greater than about 0.8:1; and (iii) the composition further comprises an emulsifier comprising an anionic surfactant comprising a strong or mineral acid functionality having a molecular weight of at least about 1,000 Da, wherein the anionic surfactant comprising a strong or mineral acid functionality has a pKa of less than about 4.5; and one or more of the following conditions: (iv) the composition further comprises ferric sulfate; and/or (v) the composition further comprises an alkylene glycol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the emulsifier comprising an anionic surfactant comprising a strong or mineral acid functionality comprises sodium lignosulfonate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the anionic surfactant comprising a strong or mineral acid functionality has a pKa of less than about 4. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the strong or mineral acid functionality is selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the emulsifier comprising an anionic surfactant comprising a strong or mineral acid functionality is selected from the group consisting of alkali, alkaline earth and ammonium salts of sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates, and carboxylates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises an alkylene glycol and the alkylene glycol comprises a C2 to C10 glycol or a C2 to C6 glycol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyurea shell wall is formed in a polymerization medium by a polymerization reaction between a polyisocyanate component comprising a polyisocyanate or mixture of polyisocyanates and a polyamine component comprising a polyamine or mixture of polyamines to form the polyurea and the ratio of amine molar equivalents contained in the polyamine component to isocyanate molar equivalents contained in the polyisocyanate component is at least about 1.1:1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the acetamide herbicide is selected from the group consisting of acetochlor, alachlor, butachlor, butenachlor, carbetamide, delachlor, dethatyl, dimethachlor, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, mefenacet, metazochlor, metolachlor, S-metolachlor, napropamide, pretilachlor, pronamide, propachlor, propisochlor, prynachlor, terbuchlor, thenylchlor and xylachlor, salts and esters thereof, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the acetamide herbicide comprises acetochlor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the auxin herbicide comprises dicamba. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the auxin herbicide comprises 2,4-D. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the salt-forming cation comprises a cation of an amine, an alkali metal, or mixture thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 having a pH that is no greater than about 3.5. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of the salt-forming cation to the anion of the auxin herbicide is no greater than about 0.75:1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 further comprising a volatility control additive comprising a monocarboxylic acid and/or salt thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the volatility control additive comprises a salt of a monocarboxylic acid having the formula R1-C(O)OM, wherein R1 is substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted arylalkyl and M is an agriculturally acceptable cation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the volatility control additive comprises a monocarboxylic acid and/or salt thereof selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, benzoic acid, benzoic acid, salts thereof, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the volatility control additive comprises a monocarboxylic acid and/or salt thereof selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, formic acid, sodium formate, potassium formate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A method for controlling weeds in a field, the method comprising: mixing water with the aqueous herbicidal concentrate composition of claim 1 to form an application mixture; and applying the application mixture to the field in a herbicidally effective amount.