Polymer to metal bonding and compounds and compositions useful therefor

1. A compound comprising:

a) at least one alkoxy silane moiety; and

b) at least one moiety selected from a nitrosobenzene, a nitrosobenzene precursor and combinations thereof.

2. A compound according to claim 1 wherein said nitrosobenzene precursor is at least one of a quinone dioxime or a quinone oxime.

3. A compound according to claim 1 wherein said alkoxy silane moiety is of the structure:

wherein ‘a’ is 1-3 and ‘b’ is 0-2, but if a=3, b=0; or if a=2, b=1; so that at least one alkoxy group is present;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 24 alkyl, and C 3 -C 24 acyl, and wherein when a≧1 at least one R 1 is not hydrogen; and

R 2 is selected from C 1 -C 24 alkyl and C 3 -C 24 acyl.

4. A compound according to claim 1 wherein the compound takes the form of a reaction product of an isocyanate or isothiocyanante with an active hydrogen compound.

5. A compound according to claim 4 embraced by the general structure:

wherein n can be 1-5;

‘a’ is 1-3 and ‘b’ is 0-2; but if a=3, b=0; or if a=2, b=1; so that at least one alkoxy group is present;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 24 alkyl, and C 3 -C 24 acyl, and wherein when a≧1 at least one R 1 is not hydrogen;

R 2 is selected from C 1 -C 24 alkyl and C 3 -C 24 acyl;

X is O or S;

Y is —O, —S, or —N(R 3 ); and

R 3 is a moiety comprising nitrosobenzene, quinone dioxime or quinone oxime.

6. A compound according to claim 5 wherein R 3 is (showing linkage through Y):

wherein Z indicates that the ring of the above structure can optionally be mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted with the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aralkyl, alkaryl, arylamine, arylnitroso, amino, halogen and combinations thereof, and further wherein the substituents can either be the same or different on each carbon atom of the ring.

7. A compound according to claim 5 wherein R 3 is (showing linkage through Y):

wherein Z indicates that the ring of the above structure can optionally be mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted with the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aralkyl, alkaryl, arylamine, arylnitroso, amino, halogen and combinations thereof, and further wherein the substituents can either be the same or different on each carbon atom of the ring.

8. A compound according to claim 5 wherein R 3 is (showing linkage through Y):

wherein Z indicates that the ring of the above structure can optionally be mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted with the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aralkyl, alkaryl, arylamine, arylnitroso, amino, halogen and combinations thereof, and further wherein the substituents can either be the same or different on each carbon atom of the ring.

9. A compound according to claim 5 wherein R 3 is (showing linkage through Y):

wherein Z indicates that the ring of the above structure can optionally be mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted with the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aralkyl, alkaryl, arylamine, arylnitroso, amino, halogen and combinations thereof, and further wherein the substituents can either be the same or different on each carbon atom of the ring.

10. A compound according to claim 5 wherein R 3 is (showing linkage through Y):

wherein Z indicates that the ring of the above structure can optionally be mono-, di-, tri- or tetrasubstituted with the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy, aralkyl, alkaryl, arylamine, arylnitroso, amino, halogen and combinations thereof, and further wherein the substituents can either be the same or different on each carbon atom of the ring.

11. A compound according to claim 1 of the general structure;

wherein n is 1-5;

‘a’ is 1-3 and ‘b’ is 0-2; ‘a’ is 1-3 and ‘b’ is 0-2; but if a=3, b=0; or if a=2, b=1; so that at least one alkoxy group is present;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 24 alkyl, and C 3 -C 24 acyl, and wherein when a≧1 at least one R 1 is not hydrogen;

R 2 is selected from C 1 -C 24 alkyl and C 3 -C 24 acyl;

X is O or S; and

Y is —O, —S, or —NH x , wherein x=1 or 2.

12. An oligomer or a co-oligomer of a compound according to claim 1 .

13. An oligomer or a co-oligomer according to claim 12 which has the general structure formula:

wherein m is 1-100; n is 1-5; p is 1-5; q is 0-50; and if q=0, m≧2

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 24 alkyl, and C 3 -C 24 acyl;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of OR 1 , C 1 -C 24 alkyl and C 3 -C 24 acyl, and wherein when R 2 ═OR 1 at least one R 1 is not hydrogen;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of acrylate, aldehyde, amino, anhydride, azide, maleimide, carboxylate, sulphonate, epoxide, ester functional, halogens, hydroxyl, isocyanate or blocked isocyanate, sulphur functional, vinyl and olefin functional, or polymeric structures;

X is O or S;

Y is −O, —S, or —NH x (where x=1 or 2); and

R 3 is a moiety comprising nitrosobenzene, quinone dioxime or quinone oxime.

14. A composition for bonding substrates together comprising:

i) at least one compound comprising:

a) at least one alkoxy silane moiety;

b) at least one moiety selected from a nitrosobenzene, a nitrosobenzene precursor and combinations thereof; and

ii) a carrier vehicle for the compound.

15. A process for bonding two substrates together comprising:

applying a composition comprising:

a) at least one alkoxy silane moiety; and

b) at least one moiety selected from a nitrosobenzene, a nitrosobenzene precursor and combinations thereof;

to at least one of the substrates and bringing the substrates together.

16. A process according to claim 15 wherein a first substrate comprises a natural or synthetic rubber to be bonded to another substrate.

17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the rubber substrate is vulcanised/crosslinked prior to bonding to the metal surface.

18. A process according to claim 16 wherein the rubber is vulcanised/crosslinked concurrently with bonding to the metal surface.

19. A process according to claim 15 wherein a first substrate comprises a natural or synthetic rubber to be bonded to a second substrate and the second substrate is a metallic substrate.

20. A process according to claim 15 wherein said moiety selected from a nitrosobenzene or a nitrosobenzene precursor becomes anchored to the rubber.

21. A combination of at least two substrates bound together by an adhesive composition comprising:

at least one alkoxy silane moiety; and

at least one moiety selected from a nitrosobenzene or a nitrosobenzene precursor and combinations thereof.