Method of dispersing an insoluble material in an aqueous solution and an agricultural formulation

A method of dispersing a solid active water-insoluble agrochemical principal in an aqueous solution comprising the following steps:

• (i) providing a formulation comprising at least one finely divided solid active water-insoluble agrochemical principal and at least one dispersant comprising a water soluble copolymer wherein said copolymer comprises a residue of a first comonomer and a residue of a second comonomer, wherein said first comonomer is an α,β-unsaturated oxyacid or anhydride and said second comonomer is an olefin having at least one polymerizable double bond and wherein at least one of said first comonomer and said second comonomer is substituted, wherein the substituents for said first comonomer are selected from the group consisting of esters, amides, thioesters and other functional groups derived from reaction with nucleophilic reagents and wherein the substituents for the second comonomer are selected from the group consisting of epoxides;
• sulfonates;
• esters;
• amides;
• and optionally substituted pendent aromatic and heteroaromatic groups wherein said optional substituents are selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, nitrates, phosphates and other substituents derived from reaction with electrophilic reagents;
• with the provisos that (a) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene or sulphonated isobutylene, the first comonomer is substituted, (b) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene, the first comonomer is not alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate, and (c) when the first comonomer is maleic anhydride, the second comonomer is not styrene;
• (ii) dispersing said formulation in an aqueous medium.

An agricultural formulation comprising at least one finely divided solid insoluble material and at least one dispersant comprising a water soluble copolymer wherein said copolymer comprises a residue of a first comonomer and a residue of a second comonomer, wherein said first comonomer is an α,β-unsaturated oxyacid or anhydride and said second comonomer is an olefin having at least one polymerizable double bond and wherein at least one of said first comonomer and said second comonomer is substituted, wherein the substituents for said first comonomer are selected from the group consisting of esters, amides, thioesters and other functional groups derived from reaction with nucleophilic reagents and wherein the substituents for the second comonomer are selected from the group consisting of epoxides;

• sulfonates;
• esters;
• amides;
• and optionally substituted pendent aromatic and heteroaromatic groups wherein said optional substituents are selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, nitrates, phosphates and other substituents derived from reaction with electrophilic reagents;
• with the provisos that (a) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene or sulphonated isobutylene, the first comonomer is substituted, (b) when one of the first and second comonomers is substituted with an ester group containing a polyalkyleneoxy moiety, the other of the first and second comonomers must be substituted, (c) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene, the first comonomer is not alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate, and (d) when the first comonomer is maleic anhydride, the second comonomer is not styrene.

A method of making an agrochemical formulation comprising the step of:

• (i) combining at least one finely divided solid insoluble material, and at least one dispersant comprising a water soluble copolymer wherein said copolymer comprises a residue of a first comonomer and a residue of a second comonomer, wherein said first comonomer is an α,β-unsaturated oxyacid or anhydride and said second comonomer is an olefin having at least one polymerizable double bond and wherein at least one of said first comonomer and said second comonomer is substituted, wherein the substituents for said first comonomer are selected from the group consisting of esters, amides, thioesters and other functional groups derived from reaction with nucleophilic reagents and wherein the substituents for the second comonomer are selected from the group consisting of epoxides;
• sulfonates;
• esters;
• amides;
• and optionally substituted pendent aromatic and heteroaromatic groups wherein said optional substituents are selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, nitrates, phosphates and other substituents derived from reaction with electrophilic reagents;
• with the provisos that (a) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene or sulphonated isobutylene, the first comonomer is substituted, (b) when one of the first and second comonomers is substituted with an ester group containing a polyalkyleneoxy moiety, the other of the first and second comonomers must be substituted, (c) when the second comonomer is sulphonated styrene, the first comonomer is not alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate, and (d) when the first comonomer is maleic anhydride, the second comonomer is not styrene.