# US 4,400,298 A · Wood preservative compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,400,298 A - Document ID: US4400298A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/293,072 - Filed: 1981-08-17 - Granted: 1983-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 1977-12-16 - Assignees: Borax Holdings Limited - Inventors: Denis Boocock; Barbara M. Kimber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400298A ## CPC - A01N 59/14: Boron; Compounds thereof - B27K 3/163: {Compounds of boron} - B27K 3/20: Compounds of alkali metals or ammonium - B27K 3/34: Organic impregnating agents {(polymers B27K3/15)} - B27K 3/52: Impregnating agents containing mixtures of inorganic and organic compounds - 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 - B27K: PROCESSES, APPARATUS OR SELECTION OF SUBSTANCES FOR IMPREGNATING, STAINING, DYEING, BLEACHING OF WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIALS, OR TREATING OF WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIALS WITH PERMEANT LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; coating wood or similar material B44D); CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL TREATMENT OF CORK, CANE, REED, STRAW OR SIMILAR MATERIALS ## Abstract Compositions for preventing or inhibiting the infection of wood raw materials by fungi causing sapstain, superficial mold and decay comprising a mixture of a dithiocarbamate, an alkali metal borate, and a selected antioxidant stabilizing agent. The mixtures exhibit a synergistic fungicidal activity and have the advantage over known anti-stain wood-preservative compounds that they are stable, relatively non-toxic and water-soluble. The compositions may be formulated as a dry formulation, as a solution or as a gel and may also include an alkaline salt or a gelling agent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wood preservative composition for controlling sapstain and superficial mold comprising as active ingredient a mixture of an alkali metal borate and a dithiocarbamate of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each selected from hydrogen and alkyl containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms and M represents an alkali metal, an ammonium group or a lower alkyl substituted ammonium group, in which said alkali metal borate and dithiocarbamate are present in a ratio of 3:1 to 1:3 parts by weight, the alkali metal borate being expressed as anhydrous borax, and about 1 to 5 percent, based on said dithiocarbamate, of a stabilizer selected from sodium sulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium lower alkyl xanthates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A wood-preservative composition according to claim 1, comprising 0.5 to 2.5 parts by weight of the dithiocarbamate to 1 part by weight of alkali metal borate, expressed as anhydrous borax. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A wood-preservative composition according to claim 1, in which said stabilizer is selected from sodium sulfite and potassium metabisulfite. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A wood-preservative composition according to claim 1, which includes a gelling agent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A wood-preservative composition according to claim 1, comprising sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, sodium metaborate, anhydrous sodium sulphite and, as gelling agent, a derivative of carboxymethyl cellulose. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A wood-preservative composition according to claim 5, in which the weight ratio of said dithiocarbamate to borate is 0.5-2.5 to 1. ### Claim 7 A method of preventing or inhibiting the infection of wood raw material by fungi which cause sapstain, superficial mold and decay which comprises contacting the wood raw material with a wood-preservative composition comprising as active ingredient a mixture of alkali metal borate and dithiocarbamate of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each selected from hydrogen and alkyl containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms and M represents an alkali metal, an ammonium group or a lower alkyl substituted ammonium group, in which said alkali metal borate and dithiocarbamate are present in a ratio of 3:1 to 1:3 parts by weight, the alkali metal borate being expressed as anhydrous borax, and about 1 to 5 percent, based on said dithiocarbamate, of a stabilizer selected from sodium sulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium lower alkyl xanthates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method of preventing or inhibiting the infection of wood raw material according to claim 7, wherein the composition is in the form of a solution or gel and has a pH above 10. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A method of preventing or inhibiting the infection of wood raw material according to claim 7 wherein the composition is in the form of a solution or gel containing from 0.5 to 5.0% w/v of the dithiocarbamate, from 0.25 to 2.5% w/v of the alkali metal borate expressed as anhydrous borax, in which the weight ratio of borate to dithiocarbamate is in the range of 3:1 to 1:3, and from 0.3 to 0.6% w/v of sodium sulfite. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 in which said stabilizer is selected from sodium sulfite and potassium metabisulfite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7 in which said ratio is about 1:1 parts by weight. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 in which said stabilizer is potassium metabisulfite. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7 in which said stabilizer is sodium sulfite. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 in which said alkali metal borate is borax. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 in which said alkali metal borate is a potassium metaborate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 in which said dithiocarbamate is sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 in which said ratio is about 1:1 parts by weight. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The composition according to claim 1 in which said stabilizer is sodium isopropyl xanthate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 in which said stabilizer is potassium metabisulfite. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A composition according to claim 1 containing the following parts by weight: ______________________________________ potassium metaborate 15.5 sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate 20.0 potassium metabisulfite 0.9 water 63.6 ______________________________________ ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The composition according to claim 20 having a pH of above 10.