Biosolvents useful for improved asphalt products utilizing recycled asphalt pavement or other brittle asphalt binders such as vacuum tower bottom

A method of producing an asphalt binder composition comprising:

• providing an asphalt binder;
• providing a polymer comprising two or more units of monomer A, wherein monomer A has a molecular weight of less than 500 Da;
• providing sulfur;
• providing a compound of formula (I):
• wherein:
• each A is selected independently at each occurrence thereof from the group consisting of
• and
• wherein at least one A is
• n=1-12;
• m is 1, 2, or 3;
• each
• represents the point of attachment to a —CH2— group;
• R is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C23 alkyl, and benzyl, wherein the C1-C23 alkyl can be optionally substituted with an aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl;
• R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C23 alkyl and benzyl, wherein the C1-C23 alkyl can be optionally substituted with an aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl;
• wherein the compound of formula (I) has a mass content of oxirane greater than 0.1 and less than 15%;
• and
• mixing the asphalt binder with the polymer comprising two or more units of monomer A, the sulfur, and the compound of formula (I) under conditions effective to produce an asphalt binder composition.

An asphalt binder composition comprising:

• an asphalt binder;
• a polymer comprising two or more units of monomer A, wherein monomer A has a molecular weight of less than 500 Da;
• sulfur;
• and
• a compound of formula (I):
• wherein:
• each A is selected independently at each occurrence thereof from the group consisting of
• and
• wherein at least one A is
• n=1-12;
• m is 1, 2, or 3;
• each
• represents the point of attachment to a —CH2— group;
• R is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C23 alkyl, and benzyl, wherein the C1-C23 alkyl can be optionally substituted with an aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl;
• R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C23 alkyl and benzyl, wherein the C1-C23 alkyl can be optionally substituted with an aryl, heteroaryl, or heterocyclyl;
• wherein the compound of formula (I) has a mass content of oxirane greater than 0.1 and less than 15%.