Compositions and methods for using amine oxide monomeric unit-containing polymeric suds enhancers

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for using amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancers (enhancers) to increase the suds and/or foam volume and suds and/or foam retention in suds-forming and/or foam-forming compositions comprising such amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancers. Suitable suds-forming and/or foam-forming compositions comprise one or more amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancers.

1 . A method for providing increased suds volume and increased suds retention while treating a plant and/or crop in need of treatment comprising the step of contacting said plant and/or crop with an aqueous solution of a agrochemical foaming composition, said agrochemical foaming composition comprising: 
 a) an effective amount of a amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer having the formula;                          wherein y is either O or N, no is an integer from 10 to 10, and wherein said amine oxide monomer-cointaining polymeric suds enhancer has an average molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 2,000,00 daltons;    b) a detersive surfactant; and    c) the balance carriers and other adjunct ingredients; provided that a 10% aqueous solution of said agrochemical foaming composition has a pH of from about 4 to about 12.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer has an average molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 1,000,000 daltons.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein said amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer has an average molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 750,000 daltons.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to claim I wherein said amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer further comprises one or more other monomeric units selected from the group consisting of cationic monomeric units, anionic monomeric units, nonionic monomeric units, hydrophobic group-containing monomeric units, hydrophilic group-containing monomeric units, hydroxyl-containing monomeric units and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein said amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer comprises a cationic monomeric unit of the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
 R 1  is H or an alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms,  
 R 2  is a moiety selected from the group consisting of  
                     
 wherein R 3  is selected from the group consisting of  
                     
 a is an integer from 0 to 16;  
 b is an integer from 2 to 10;  
 c is an integer from 2 to 10;  
 d is an integer from 1 to 100;  
 R 4  and R 5  are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, and  
                     
 R 8  is independently selected from the group consisting of a bond or an alkylene having 1 to 18 carbon atoms;  
 R 9  and R 10  are independently selected from the group consisting of —H, alkyl having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and an olefin chain having 2 to 8 carbon atoms;  
 R 12  and R 13  are independently selected from the group consisting of H and alkyl having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms;  
                     
 wherein x is an integer from 2 to 10.  
 
       
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein R 1  has the formula:  
         —(L) i —(S) j —R 3    wherein L is a linking unit independently selected from the following:                          and mixtures thereof; R′ is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 4  alkyl, and mixtures thereof or R′ and S can form a heterocycle of 4 to 7 carbon atoms, optionally containing other hetero atoms and optionally substituted; R 3  is independently selected from —CO 2 M, —SO 3 M, —OSO 3 M, —CH 2 P(O)(OM) 2 , —OP(O)(OM) 2 , units having the formula:      —CR 8 R 9 R 10      wherein each R 8 , R 9 , and R 10  is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, —(CH 2 ) m R 11 , and mixtures thereof, wherein R 11  is —CO 2 H, —SO 3 M, —OSO 3 M, —CH(CO 2 H)CH 2 CO 2 H, —CH 2 P(O)(OH) 2 , —OP(O)(OH) 2 , and mixtures thereof; provided that one R 8 , R 9 , or R 10  is not a hydrogen atom; R 2  has the formula:      —(L 1 ) i —(S) j′—R   4      wherein L 1  is a linking unit independently selected from the following:                          and mixtures thereof; wherein R′ is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 4  alkyl, and mixtures thereof or alternatively R′ and S can form a heterocycle of 4 to 7 carbon atoms, optionally containing other hetero atoms and optionally substituted; R 4  is independently selected from amino, alkylamino carboxamide, 3-imidazolyl, 4-imidazolyl, 2-imidazolinyl, 4-imidazolinyl, 2-piperidinyl, 3-piperidinyl, 4-piperidinyl, 1-pyrazolyl, 3-pyrazoyl, 4-pyrazoyl, 5-pyrazoyl, 1-pyrazolinyl, 3-pyrazolinyl, 4-pyrazolinyl, 5-pyrazolinyl, 2-pyridinyl, 3-pyridinyl, 4-pyridinyl, piperazinyl, 2-pyrrolidinyl, 3-pyrrolidinyl, guanidino, amidino, and mixtures thereof; each S is independently selected from C 1 -C 12  linear alkylene, C 1 -C 12  branched alkylene, C 3 -C 12  linear alkenylene, C 3 -C 12  branched alkenylene, C 3 -C 12  hydroxyalkylene, C 4 -C 12  dihydroxyalkylene, C 6 -C 10  arylene, C 8 -C 12  dialkylarylene, —(R 5 O) k R 5 —, —(R 5 O) k R 6 (OR 5 ) k —, —CH 2 CH(OR 7 )CH 2 —, and mixtures thereof; R 5  is C 2 -C 4  linear alkylene, C 3 -C 4  branched alkylene, and mixtures thereof; R 6  is C 2 -C 12  linear alkylene, and mixtures thereof; R 7  is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4  alkyl, and mixtures thereof; M is hydrogen or a water soluble cation; i is 0 or 1; i′ is 0 or 1; j is 0 or ; j′ is 0 or 1; k is from 1 to 20; and m is from 0 to 10.    
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein I and j are each equal to 0; R is C 1 -C 4  linear alkylene, C 1 -C 4  branched alkylene, and mixtures thereof; R 3  -CO 2 M, L 1  has the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         S is C 2 -C 4  linear alkylene; R 4  is alkylamino having the formula:  
           —N(R 11 ) 2    
         wherein each R 11  is independently hydrogen, C 1 -C 4  alkyl, and mixtures thereof or the two R 11  can form a heterocycle of 4 to 8 carbon atoms, optionally containing other hetero atoms and optionally substituted; M is hydrogen; x is 1; y is 1, z is 1.  
       
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6  wherein R 1  is —CO 2 H, R 2  is selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 11  is hydrogen, methyl, and mixture thereof; S is C 2 -C 6  linear alkylene; j′ is 1.  
       
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein R 2  is selected from the group consisting of:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said surfactant (b) is selected from the group consisting of amine oxides, polyhydroxy fatty acid amides, betaines, sulfobetaines, alkyl polyglycosides, alkyl ethoxylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to claim I wherein the amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer comprises: 
 a) an amine oxide monomer unit having the formula:                          wherein y is either O or N, n is an integer from 1 to 10; and wherein said amine oxide monomer-containing polymeric suds enhancer has an average molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 2,000,000 daltons; and    b) a monomeric unit having the formula:                          
     
     
         12 - 32 . (canceled)