Liquid phosphite composition derived from cresols

1. A composition comprising a liquid phosphite, said liquid phosphite consisting of a mixture of at least two different phosphites of structure (I)

wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently selected alkylated aryl groups selected from the group consisting of t-butylphenyl, di-t-butylphenyl, t-amylphenyl, di-t-amylphenyl and cresyl of structure (III),

wherein R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, t-butyl and t-amyl; and

R 7 is hydrogen or methyl;

wherein one of R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 is methyl and at least one of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 , is t-butyl or t-amyl

provided that at least one of the phosphites comprises an alkylated cresyl of structure (III),

wherein the liquid phosphite consisting of a mixture of at least two different phosphites of structure (I) is a liquid at ambient conditions.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the phosphite comprising an alkylated cresyl group is selected from the group consisting of tris(4-t-butyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, tris(2-t-butyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, tris(4,6-di-t-butyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, bis(4-t-butyl-m-cresyl)-4,6-di-t-butyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(2-t-butyl-m-cresyl)-4-t-butyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(2-t-butyl-m-cresyl)-4,6-di-t-butyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(4,6-di-t-butyl-m-cresyl)-4-t-butyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(4,6-di-t-butyl-m-cresyl)-2-t-butyl-m-cresyl phosphite, tris(4-t-amyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, tris(2-t-amyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, tris(4,6-di-t-amyl-m-cresyl)phosphite, bis(4-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-2-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(4-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-4,6-di-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(2-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-4-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(2-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-4,6-di-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite, bis(4,6-di-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-4-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite, and bis(4,6-di-t-amyl-m-cresyl)-2-t-amyl-m-cresyl phosphite.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the phosphite comprises an alkylated cresyl group is selected from the group consisting of tris(2-t-butyl-p-cresyl)phosphite, tris(2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresyl)phosphite, bis(2-t-butyl-p-cresyl)-2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresyl phosphite, bis(2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresyl)-2-t-butyl-p-cresyl phosphite, tris(2-t-amyl-p-cresyl)phosphite, tris(2,6-di-t-amyl-p-cresyl)phosphite, bis(2-t-amyl-p-cresyl)-2,6-di-t-amyl-p-cresyl phosphite, and bis(2,6-di-t-amyl-p-cresyl)-2-t-amyl-p-cresyl phosphite.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid phosphite is derived from a mixture of 5-95 wt % alkylated m-cresol and 5-95 wt % alkylated p-cresol.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least two different phosphites are derived from a mixture of 5-95 wt % of an alkylated cresol and 5-95 wt % of an alkylated phenol.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the liquid phosphite comprises the following:

tris(monoalkylaryl)phosphite in an amount from 20 to 70 wt %;

bis(monoalkylaryl)dialkylaryl phosphite in an amount from 15 to 60 wt %,

tris(dialkylaryl)phosphite in an amount of from 0.1 to 20 wt %; or

bis(dialkylaryl)monoalkylaryl phosphite in an amount of from 2 to 20 wt %

wherein monoalkylaryl is selected from the group consisting of t-butylphenyl, t-amylphenol, and cresyl of structure (III) wherein one of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 is t-butyl or t-amyl; and dialkylaryl is selected from the group consisting of di-t-butylphenyl, di-t-amylphenyl and cresyl of structure (III) wherein two of R 4 , R 5 , and R 6 are t-butyl or t-amyl.

7. A composition according to claim 1 comprising:

a polymer; and

the liquid phosiphite.

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers, thermoplastics, rubbers, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyalkylene terephthalates, polysulfones, polyimides, polyphenylene ethers, styrenic polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, acrylic polymers, polyamides, polyacetals, halide-containing polymers, biodegradable polymers, and mixtures thereof.

9. The composition of claim 7 , further comprising a primary phenolic antioxidant.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the primary phenolic antioxidants are selected from the group consisting of tetrakismethylene (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxylhydrocinnamate)methane, 1,3,5-tris(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)isocyanurate, 1,3,5-tris(4-t-butyl-3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylbenzyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-trione, octyl-3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate, bis(octadecyl)hydroxylamine, 1,3,5-trimethyl-2,4,6-tris(3,5-di-t-4-hydroxybenzyl)benzene, 2,6-bis(α-methylbenzyl)-4-methylphenol, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-benzenepropanoic acid, and 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-ethyl-phenol and mixtures thereof.