FUNCTIONALIZED POLYMER COMPOSITIONS

• US 20130209391A1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novus International, Inc. (Nippon Soda Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novus International, Inc. (Nippon Soda Company Limited)
• Inventors: Arhancet, Graciela B., Mahoney, Matthew, Wang, Xiaojun, Karnati, Rangarani
• Granted Patent: US 9,284,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/78.37
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/10 Organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/10 for ruminants
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/75 for poultry
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 265/33 Two oxygen atoms, in positions 3 and 5
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 319/12 not condensed with other rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/6882 derived from hydroxy carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/85 Germanium, tin, lead, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, or compounds thereof C08G63/823 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 67/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing oxygen or oxygen and carbon, not provided for in groups C08G2/00 - C08G65/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 75/02 Polythioethers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/04 Polyesters derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g. lactones C08L67/06 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to functionalized polymers including homopolymers and copolymers and their uses in industrial applications and in agricultural applications. In particular, the homopolymers and copolymers may be, for example, used in polymer blends, used as nutritives and in feed compositions, and used in combination with a pharmaceutical or nutritive.

Claims

1. A homopolymer, wherein the homopolymer comprises a repeat unit comprising Formula (I) and having an average molecular weight above about 800 Da, the repeat unit comprising Formula (I):

2. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein R⁴ and R⁵ are hydrogen.

3. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein R⁶ is chosen from alkyl;

R⁷ is not present; and

n is an integer from 1 to 5.

4. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein Z is sulfur.

5. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer has an average molecular weight from about 800 Da to about 1200 Da.

6. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer has an average molecular weight from about 1200 Da to about 2000 Da.

7. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer contains less than 2% of a free monomer.

8. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer contains less than 1% of a free monomer.

9. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer contains less than 0.5% of a free monomer.

10. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer is stable in an aqueous solution under approximately neutral pH.

11. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the homopolymer is stable in an aqueous solution under approximately neutral pH and substantially hydrolyzes in aqueous solution under a pH below about 5.

12. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the repeat units have R configurations, S configurations, or a combination of R and S configurations.

13. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the repeat unit comprises Formula (III):

14. The homopolymer of claim 13, wherein the homopolymer contains less than 2% of a free monomer.

15. The homopolymer of claim 1, wherein the compound is used as a nutritive agent, a feed composition, a feed premix, an antioxidant, an antimicrobial, a plasticizer, or an anticorrosive, a dispersant, a processing aid, an adhesive, or a binder.

16. A feed composition comprising a carbohydrate source, a protein source, a fat source and the homopolymer of claim 1.

17. A composition comprising the homopolymer of claim 1 and a nutritive or pharmaceutical agent.

18. A composition comprising the homopolymer of claim 1 in combination with another polymer or copolymer.

19. A copolymer comprising a first repeat unit and at least one second repeat unit, the first repeat unit comprising Formula (I):

20. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein R⁴ and R⁵ are hydrogen.

21. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein R⁶ is chosen from alkyl;

R⁷ is not present; and

n is an integer from 1 to 5.

22. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein Z is sulfur.

23. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the copolymer has an average molecular weight from about 800 Da to about 1200 Da.

24. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the copolymer contains less than 2% of a free monomer.

25. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the copolymer contains less than 1% of a free monomer.

26. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the second repeat unit is selected from an acrylate, an aminoacrylate, an alkylene succinate, an alkylene oxalate, an anhydride, an arylate, a carbonate, a cellulose, a caprolactone, a cyanoacrylate, a cyclic ether, a dihydropyran, a dioxane, a dioxanone, an ether ether ketone, an ethylene glycol, an ester, a fumarate, an hydroxyl alkanoate, an hydroxy ester, an imide, a ketal, a lactide, lactone, a terephthalate, a tetrahydrofuran, a trimethylene carbonate, an urethane, or a derivative of any of the forgoing, or mixtures thereof.

27. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the first repeat unit comprises the compound of Formula (III)

28. The copolymer of claim 27, wherein the copolymer contains less than 2% of a free monomer.

29. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the copolymer is stable in an aqueous solution under approximately neutral pH.

30. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the copolymer is stable in an aqueous solution under approximately neutral pH and substantially hydrolyzes in aqueous solution under a pH below about 5.

31. The copolymer of claim 19, wherein the compound is used as a nutritive agent, a feed composition, a feed premix, an antioxidant, an antimicrobial, a plasticizer, an anticorrosive, a dispersant, or a surfactant.

32. A feed composition comprising a carbohydrate source, a protein source, a fat source and the copolymer of claim 19.

33. A composition comprising the homopolymer of claim 19 and a nutritive or pharmaceutical agent.

34. A composition comprising the homopolymer of claim 19 in combination with another polymer or copolymer.

35. A process for forming a homopolymer or copolymer having an average molecular weight above about 800 Da and a repeat unit comprising Formula (I), the process comprising contacting monomers comprising Formula (V):

36. The process of claim 35, wherein the acid catalyst is stannous octoate.

37. The process of claim 35, wherein dehydration is achieved by azeotropic distillation.

38. The process of claim 35, where in the homopolymer or copolymer produced contains less than 2% of a free monomer.

39. The process of claim 35, where in the homopolymer or copolymer produced contains less than 1% of a free monomer.

40. The process of claim 35, where in the homopolymer or copolymer produced contains less than 0.5% of a free monomer.