IP Library Granted Patent US 12660821
Granted Patent B2
US 12660821 · App. 18/034,447 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Herbicide compositions with epyrifenacil and 2,4-D triethanolamine salt with improved properties

Inventor: Ganiyu A. Jimoh (St. Louis, MO)
Assignee: MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC
A01N43/54A01N25/22A01P13/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12660821
App. No.
18/034,447
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of crop protection. The present disclosure primarily to herbicide compositions comprising as compound (A) ethyl [3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropy-qrimidin-3-yl)phenoxy]-2-pyridyloxy] acetate (epyrifenacil) and as compound (B) the triethanolamine salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid (2,4-D), in particular to formulations of a certain type and preferably containing further constituents, said compositions and formulations having improved properties. The disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing such compositions and formulations and the use of such compositions and formulations.

Claims (50)

1 . A herbicide composition comprising compounds (A) and (B), wherein:

(A) denotes ethyl [3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-3-yl) phenoxy]-2-pyridyloxy] acetate (epyrifenacil); and

(B) denotes the triethanolamine (TEA) salt of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), wherein the composition is in the form of an oil-in-water microemulsion, and the composition further comprises:

a phosphate ester dispersant; and

one or more drift retardant agents selected from:

triglycerides of fatty acids with 12 to 24 carbon atoms;

esters of fatty oils, wherein the fatty oils are selected from the group consisting soybean oil, an ester of soybean oil, canola oil, an ester of canola oil, palm oil, an ester of palm oil, rapeseed oil, an ester of rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, an ester of sunflower seed oil, corn oil, an ester of corn oil, peanut oil, an ester of peanut oil, sesame oil, an ester of sesame oil, olive oil, an ester of olive oil, castor oil and a combination thereof;

polyacrylamides,

polyethylene oxide, and

guar gum.

2 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the composition is liquid at 25° C. and 1013 mbar.

3 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a ratio by weight of a total amount of compound (A) and a total amount of compound (B) is in a range of from about 1:10 to about 1:150.

4 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the herbicide composition comprises compound (B) in a total amount of up to about 75 wt. %, based on a total weight of the herbicide composition; and/or

wherein the herbicide composition comprises compound (A) in a total amount of up to about 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the herbicide composition.

5 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more constituents selected from the group consisting of other herbicidal active compounds, herbicide safeners, formulation auxiliaries and additives customary in crop protection.

6 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent, wherein the substantially water-immiscible organic solvent is selected such that compound (A) has an organic solvent/water partition coefficient, expressed as a logarithm, of about 4 or greater.

7 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a total amount of the water-immiscible organic solvent is in a range of about 2 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on a total weight of the composition.

8 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the substantially water-immiscible organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetophenone, benzyl acetate, and aromatic hydrocarbons C 10 -C 16 , and mixtures thereof.

9 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more water-soluble stabilizing agents selected from the group of organic quaternary ammonium halides and chlorine containing vitamins, and mixtures thereof.

10 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more water-soluble organic stabilizing agents selected from the group consisting of vitamin B4 (choline chloride; (2-hydroxyethyl) trimethylammonium chloride; CAS number 67-48-1), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride; 4,5-bis (hydroxymethyl)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpyridine hydrochloride; 3-hydroxy-4,5-bis (hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpyridine hydrochloride; CAS number 58-56-0), benzalkonium chloride (N-alkyl-N-benzyl-N,N -dimethylammonium chloride; alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; CAS number 8001-54-5), and mixtures thereof.

11 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more water-soluble stabilizing agents in a total amount of from about 1% to about 20% by weight, based on a total weight of the composition.

12 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a pH-value of the composition, as diluted, is less than 7, when diluted with water such that a concentration of the triethanolamine salt of 2,4-D corresponds to 1.8% by weight calculated as 2,4-D acid and measured at 25° C. and 1013 mbar.

13 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the one or more drift retardant agents in a total amount in a range of about 1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on a total weight of the composition.

14 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the herbicide composition does not contain sodium or potassium ions in an amount that results in precipitation of the sodium or potassium salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in the herbicide composition or a dilution with water thereof.

15 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the herbicide composition is free of the monoethanolamine salt of dicamba.

16 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a ratio by weight of a total amount of compound (A) and a total amount of compound (B) is in a range of from about 1:10 to about 1:150.

17 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the herbicide composition comprises compound (B) in a total amount of up to about 75 wt. %, based on a total weight of the herbicide composition; and

wherein the herbicide composition comprises compound (A) in a total amount of up to about 2 wt. %, based on the total weight of the herbicide composition.

18 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent, wherein the substantially water-immiscible organic solvent is selected such that compound (A) has an organic solvent/water partition coefficient, expressed as a logarithm, of about 4 or greater.

19 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 18 , wherein a total amount of the water-immiscible organic solvent is in a range of about 2 wt. % to about 30 wt. %, based on a total weight of the composition.

20 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the substantially water-immiscible organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetophenone, benzyl acetate, and aromatic hydrocarbons C 10 -C 16 , and mixtures thereof.

21 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more water-soluble stabilizing agents in a total amount of from about 1% to about 20% by weight, based on a total weight of the composition.

22 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a pH-value of the composition, as diluted, is less than 7, when diluted with water such that a concentration of the triethanolamine salt of 2,4-D corresponds to 1.8% by weight calculated as 2,4-D acid and measured at 25° C. and 1013 mbar.

23 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 comprising the one or more drift retardant agents in a total amount in a range of about 2 wt. % to about 8 wt. %, based on a total weight of the composition.

24 . A method for controlling undesired growth of plants, comprising applying the herbicide composition as defined in claim 1 onto the plants, parts of the plants, plant seeds or area where the plants grow.

25 . A method of manufacturing the herbicide composition defined in claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

(i) providing water and compound (B);

(ii) providing compound (A) dissolved in one or more organic solvents, wherein at least one of said organic solvents is not fully miscible with water and wherein compound (A) has a solubility of 5 wt. % or greater in at least one of said organic solvents, measured at 25° C. and 1013 mbar;

(iii) providing the phosphate ester dispersant, and optionally one or more stabilizing agents and the one or more drift retardant agents; and

mixing the constituents provided in steps (i), (ii) and (iii).

26 . A method of manufacturing a herbicide composition comprising compounds (A) and (B), wherein (A) denotes ethyl [3-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-(1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-3-yl) phenoxy]-2-pyridyloxy]acetate (epyrifenacil) and wherein (B) denotes the triethanolamine (TEA) salt of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), the method comprising:

(i) providing water and compound (B);

(ii) providing compound (A) dissolved in one or more organic solvents, wherein at least one of said organic solvents is not fully miscible with water and wherein compound (A) has a solubility of 5 wt. % or greater-in at least one of said organic solvents, measured at 25° C. and 1013 mbar;

(iii) providing a phosphate ester dispersant, and optionally one or more stabilizing agents and one or more drift retardant agents; and

mixing the constituents provided in steps (i), (ii) and (iii), wherein the one or more drift retardant agents triglycerides of fatty acids with 12 to 24 carbon atoms;

esters of fatty oils, wherein the fatty oils are selected from the group consisting soybean oil, an ester of soybean oil, canola oil, an ester of canola oil, palm oil, an ester of palm oil, rapeseed oil, an ester of rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, an ester of sunflower seed oil, corn oil, an ester of corn oil, peanut oil, an ester of peanut oil, sesame oil, an ester of sesame oil, olive oil, an ester of olive oil, castor oil and a combination thereof;

polyacrylamides,

polyethylene oxide, and

guar gum.

27 . The herbicide composition as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more water-soluble organic stabilizing agents selected from the group of organic quaternary ammonium chlorides.