Aluminum zirconium metallo-organic complex useful as coupling and hydrophobic agents

A method of preparing a composition of matter useful as a coupling agent, comprising reacting a chelated aluminum moiety with an organofunctional ligand and a zirconium oxyhalide, the aluminum moiety having the formula:

• Al.sub.2 (OR.sub.1 O).sub.a A.sub.b B.sub.c
• wherein A or B is hydroxy or halogen and a, b and c are numerical values such that 2a+b+c=6, and (OR.sub.1 O) is (a) an alpha, beta or alpha, gamma glycol group in which R.sub.1 is an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or (b) an alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acid residue having the formula:
• ##STR6## wherein R.sub.3 is H or any alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• the organofunctional ligand is (1) an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aralkyl carboxylic acid having from 2 to 36 carbon atoms, (2) an aminofunctional carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (3) a dibasic carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (4) an acid anhydride of a dibasic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (5) a mercapto functional carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or (6) an epoxy functional carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms;
• and the zirconium oxyhalide moiety has the formula:
• ZrA.sub.d B.sub.e
• wherein A and B are as above-defined and d and e are numerical values such that d+e=4;
• the molar ratio of chelated aluminum moiety to zirconium oxyhalide moiety being from about 1.5 to 10, and the molar ratio of organofunctional ligand to total metal being from about 0.05 to 2, and the reaction being carried out in an organic solvent containing less than about five percent by weight water.

A composition comprising the product of admixture of:

• (I) the reaction product of a chelated aluminum moiety, an organofunctional ligand and a zirconium oxyhalide, the organofunctional ligand being complexed with and chemically bound to the chelated aluminum moiety and the zirconium moiety, the aluminum moiety having the formula:
• Al.sub.2 (OR.sub.1 O).sub.a A.sub.b B.sub.c
• wherein A or B can be hydroxy or halogen and a, b and c are numerical values such that 2a+b+c=6, and (OR.sub.1 O) is (a) an alpha, beta or alpha, gamma glycol group in which R.sub.1 is an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or
• (b) an alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acid residue having the formula:
• ##STR10## wherein R.sub.3 is H or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• the organofunctional ligand is (1) an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or aralkyl carboxylic acid having from 2 to 36 carbon atoms, (2) an aminofunctional carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (3) a dibasic carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (4) an acid anhydride of a dibasic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, (5) a mercapto functional carboxylic aid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or (6) an epoxy functional carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms;
• and the zirconium oxyhalide moiety has the formula:
• ZrA.sub.d B.sub.e
• wherein A and B are as above-defined and d and e are numerical values such that d+e=4;
• the molar ratio of chelated aluminum moiety to zirconium oxyhalide moiety being from about 1.5 to 10, and the molar ratio of organofunctional ligand to total metal being from about 0.05 to 2, said reaction product being formed in the substantial absence of water, and
• (II) a substrate, said substrate being:
• (a) filler selected from the group of glass, silica, calcium carbonate, alumina trihydrate, aluminum silicate, talc, wollastonite, mica, titanium dioxide, and an organic particulate having reactive groups:
• (b) paper;
• (c) fiberboard;
• (d) textile;
• or
• (e) mixtures thereof.