1. A solid formulation comprising:
a low melting active compound in particulate form;
a free-flow agent in particulate form; and
a solid diluent,
wherein particles of the low melting active compound are impregnated with the free-flow agent particles.
2. The solid formulation of claim 1, wherein the low melting compound is a pesticidally active compound.
3. The solid formulation of claim 2, wherein the pesticidally active compound is a herbicidally active compound.
4. The solid formulation of claim 3, wherein the herbicidally active compound is a fluroxypyr ester.
5. The solid formulation of claim 4, wherein the fluroxypyr ester is fluroxypyr-meptyl.
6. The solid formulation of claim 1, wherein the low melting active and the free-flow agent are present in a weight:weight ratio of about 7:1 to about 3:1.
7. The solid formulation of claim 1, comprising about 2% to about 15% by weight of the free-flow agent.
8. The solid formulation of claim 1, comprising about 10% by weight to about 70% by weight of the low melting active compound.
9. The solid formulation of claim 1, comprising about 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of the solid diluent.
10. The solid formulation of claim 1, wherein the free-flow agent comprises a silica-containing material.
11. The solid formulation of claim 10, wherein the free-flow agent comprises hydrophobic silicon dioxide.
12. The solid formulation of claim 1, further comprising a pH adjuster in an amount sufficient to maintain the pH of the formulation when it is in a water diluted form below about 7.
13. The solid formulation of claim 12, comprising about 0.1% by weight to about 2% by weight of the pH adjuster.
14. The solid formulation of claim 1, further comprising a binding agent.
15. The solid formulation of claim 14, comprising at least about 4% by weight of the binding agent.
16. The solid formulation of claim 1, comprising one or more adjuvants selected from the group consisting of dispersants, wetting agents, binding agents, and anti-foam agents.
17. The solid formulation of claim 1, wherein the solid formulation is in the form of a granule.
18. The solid formulation of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional active compounds.
19. The solid formulation of claim 18, wherein the one or more additional active compounds is a pesticidally active compound.
20. The solid formulation of claim 1, wherein the solid formulation has a moisture content of less than about 5% by weight.
21. A mixture comprising two or more groups of different solid pesticidal granules, wherein one of the groups comprises a solid composition according to claim 1.
22. A method of controlling an unwanted pest at a locus comprising applying to the locus a solid formulation according to claim 1, wherein the low melting active compound is a pesticidally active compound.
23. A solid formulation comprising:
(a) about 10% by weight to about 70% by weight of a low melting active compound;
(b) about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight of a free-flow agent;
(c) about 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of a diluent;
(d) about 2% by weight to about 25% by weight of a dispersant;
(e) about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a binding agent;
(f) about 0.1% by weight to about 5% by weight of a pH adjuster;
(g) up to about 5% by weight of a wetting agent; and
(h) up to about 5% by weight of an anti-foam agent;
wherein the solid formulation is in the form of a granule having a moisture content of less than about 5% by weight.
24. The solid formulation of claim 23, wherein the low melting active compound is in particulate form.
25. The solid formulation of claim 24, wherein the free-flow agent is in particulate form, and wherein particles of the low melting active compound are impregnated with the free-flow agent particles.
26. The solid formulation of claim 24, wherein the low melting active compound comprises fluroxypyr-meptyl.
27. A method of preparing a solid formulation comprising a low melting active compound, the method comprising:
a) mixing the low melting active compound in particulate form with a free-flow agent in particulate form under high shear or impact to impregnate particles of the low melting active compound with the particles of the free-flow agent to form bound particles of the low melting active compound and the free-flow agent;
b) combining the bound particles of the low melting active compound and the free-flow agent with a diluent and one or more formulation adjuvants to form a homogeneous mixture; and
c) milling the homogeneous mixture to form particles.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein said mixing step a) comprises blending the low melting active and the free-flow agent and feeding the blended material through a mill apparatus.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the mill apparatus comprises a hammer mill.
30. The method of claim 7, wherein the free-flow agent comprises a silica-containing material.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the free-flow agent comprises hydrophobic silicon dioxide.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein the low melting active and the free-flow agent are bound in a weight:weight ratio of about 7:1 to about 3:1.
33. The method of claim 27, wherein the entire content of the free-flow agent used in preparing the solid formulation is provided in said mixing step a).
34. The method of claim 27, wherein the free-flow agent comprises about 2% to about 15% by weight of the solid formulation.
35. The method of claim 27, wherein the low melting compound is a pesticidally active compound.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the pesticidally active compound is a herbicidally active compound.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the herbicidally active compound is a fluroxypyr ester.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the fluroxypyr ester is fluroxypyr-meptyl.
39. The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more formulation adjuvants are selected from the group consisting of dispersants, binding agents, pH adjusters, and wetting agents.
40. The method of claim 27, wherein said milling step c) comprises formation of particles having an average size of about 1 micron to about 15 microns.
41. The method of claim 27, wherein said milling step c) comprising high energy milling.
42. The method of claim 27, further comprising processing the particles to be in a solid delivery form
43. The method of claim 42, wherein said further processing step comprises adding an anti-foam agent to the formulation.
44. The method of claim 42, wherein said further processing step comprises shaping the mix to form a granule, pill, prill, pellet, or powder.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein the solid formulation is in the form of granules having an average size of about 0.1 mm to about 10 mm.
46. The method of claim 27, wherein the formed solid formulation is dried to have an average moisture content of less than about 5% by weight.
47. A method of preparing a solid formulation comprising a low melting active compound, the method comprising:
a) mixing about 10% by weight to about 70% by weight of the low melting active compound in particulate form with about 2% by weight to about 15% by weight of a free-flow agent in particulate form under high shear or impact to impregnate particles of the low melting active compound with the particles of the free-flow agent to form bound particles of the low melting active compound and the free-flow agent;
b) combining the bound particles of the low melting active compound and the free-flow agent with about 10% by weight to about 80% by weight of a diluent, about 2% by weight to about 25% by weight of a dispersant, about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a binding agent, about 0.1% by weight to about 5% by weight of a pH adjuster, and up to about 5% by weight of a wetting agent to form a homogeneous mixture;
c) milling the homogeneous mixture to form particles; and
d) further processing the particles with up to about 5% by weight of an anti-foam agent to be in a solid delivery form;
wherein all of the percentages are based on the final weight of the overall solid formulation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-9 (Cancelled)
10. (Currently Amended) Method of preparation of compounds represented by formula (I):
8
, wherein the method it comprises the following steps:
contacting at least one acid halide represented by formula (II): ACOX, or one -ketophosphonate represented by formula (III):
9
with at least one silyl phosphite represented by formula (IV):
P(OSialk3)xOR33-x(IV)
wherein R1, R2 and R3, which are the same or different, represent an alkyl, aryl, acyloxyalkyl, or heterocycle group,
A being defined in one of the previous claims represents a group of formula (CH2)nR4,
X represents a halogen atom, preferably chlorine,
alk is a C1-6 alkyl group,
x is equal to 2 or 3,
n is a whole number from 0 to 24 inclusive,
R4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl goup, a heterocycle or a group with the formula NR5R6,
R5 and R6, which are the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group,
hydrolysis of the compounds obtained in the previous step.
11. (Original) Method according to claim 10, wherein it comprises the following steps:
contacting a least one acid halide represented by formula (II): ACOX, with at least one phosphite represented by formula (V): P(OR1)(OR2)(OR), wherein R1, R2 and R, which are the same or different, represent an alkyl, aryl, acyloxyalkyl, or heterocycle group, to form an -ketophosphonate represented by formula (III),
contacting the -ketophosphonate obtained in the previous step with at least one sylyl phosphite represented by formula (IV) such as defined in the preceding claim,
hydrolysis of the compounds obtained in the previous step.
12. (Original) Method according to claim 11, wherein the silyl phosphite is a compound represented by formula (IV) in which x is equal to 2.
13. (Original) Method according to claim 11, wherein the silyl phosphite is a compound represented by formual (IV) in which x is equal to 3.
14. (Original) Method according to claim 10, wherein at least one acid halide represented by formula (II): ACOX, is placed in contact with at least one silyl phosphite represented by formual (IV) in which x is equal to 2, then the product so obtained is placed in contact with at least one silyl phosphite represented by formual (IV) in which x is equal to 3.
15. (Currently Amended) Method of preparation of compounds represented by formula (I):
10
, wherein the method it comprises the following steps:
an acid chloride of formula (II): ACOX is caused to react with a mixture of dimethylphosphite and trimethylphosphite,
wherein A represents a group of formula (CH2)nR4,
X represents a halogen atom, preferably chlorine,
n is a whole number from 0 to 24,
R4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocycle or a group with the formula NR5R6,
R5 and R6, which are the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and
R and R, which are the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal or alkaline earth atom;
and then in a second step, the ester functions obtained in the previous steps are hydrolyzed by acid hydrolysis, followed by a salification.
16. (Original) Method according to claim 15, wherein the reaction of the first step is carried out in a solvent such as chloroform at a temperature below 30 C.
17. (Original) Method according to claim 15, wherein the hydrolysis is carried out by dissolving the product obtained in the first step in concentrated hot hydrochloric acid.
18-25 (Cancelled)