Oxygen scavengers, compositions comprising the scavengers, and articles made from the compositions

1. A method for making an oxygen scavenging polymer composition comprising the step of combining:

a) a thermoplastic polymer;

b) a transition metal in a positive oxidation state, the metal present in the composition in an amount of from about 10 ppm to about 400 ppm; and

c) a compound having the formula:

wherein R 1 is chosen from:

i) —CH 3 ;

ii) —CHO; or

ii) a combination thereof; and

the index n is equal to 1 or 2.

2. A method of preparing an article comprising the step of providing a polymer composition, the composition comprising:

a) a thermoplastic polymer;

b) a transition metal in a positive oxidation state, the metal present in the composition in an amount of from about 10 ppm to about 400 ppm; and

c) a compound having the formula:

wherein R 1 is chosen from:

i) —CH 3 ;

ii) —CHO; or

ii) a combination thereof; and

the index n is equal to 1 or 2, and

forming an article from the composition.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of forming comprises injection moulding, stretch blow moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, or extrusion blow moulding.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of forming is sheet or film extrusion.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the article is a bottle or a preform.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal is present in the composition in an amount of from about 30 ppm to about 150 ppm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyester homopolymer or polyester copolymer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 10% by weight of the composition.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 5% by weight of the composition.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 3% by weight of the composition.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of combining a colorant.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transition metal is present in the composition in an amount of from about 30 ppm to about 150 ppm.

14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyester homopolymer or polyester copolymer.

15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof.

16. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 10% by weight of the composition.

17. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 5% by weight of the composition.

18. The method of claim 2 , wherein the compound comprises from about 1% to about 3% by weight of the composition.

19. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of combining a colorant.

20. The method of claim 2 , wherein the article is a sheet, a cup, or a jar.