Polyether-modified siloxanes as dust binding agents for seed

Abstract

Polyether-modified siloxanes can be used as a dust binder for seed. Methods of reducing the evolution of dust from seed can be used with the polyether-modified siloxanes, and a treated seed is obtainable by these methods. Seed-dressing compositions or seed-dressing liquors contain the polyether-modified siloxanes.

1 . A dust binder for seed, comprising at least one polyether-modified siloxane. 
     
     
         2 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polyether-modified siloxane has 41 to 81 silicon atoms. 
     
     
         3 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polyether-modified siloxane is a compound of the general formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         R is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of monovalent hydrocarbyl radicals having 1 to 18 carbon atoms; 
         R 1  is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of R and R 2 ; 
         R 2  is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of monovalent polyether radicals of the general formula (II)
   —Z[(OC 2 H 3 R 3 ) c OR 4 ] d    Formula (II);
 
 
         wherein 
         Z is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of (d+1)-valent hydrocarbyl radicals that are optionally interrupted by oxygen atoms and have 2 to 10, preferably 3 to and especially 3 carbon atoms; 
         R 3  is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of H and monovalent hydrocarbyl radicals having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; 
         R 4  is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of H, monovalent hydrocarbyl radicals having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and acyl radicals having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and 
       
       wherein 
       a=31 to 74; 
       b=6 to 50; 
       c=3 to 100; and 
       d=1 to 3. 
     
     
         4 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein
 R=methyl,   Z=—CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 —,   R 4 =H, and   d=1.   
     
     
         5 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein the divalent polyether radicals (OC 2 H 3 R 3 ) c  are each independently selected from the group consisting of radicals of the general formula (III)
   (OC 2 H 4 ) c(1) (OC 3 H 6 ) c(2) (OC 4 H 8 ) c(3) (OC 2 H 3 Ph) c(4)    Formula (III)
   wherein Ph is phenyl; and   wherein   c(1)=1 to 100;   c(2)=0 to 70;   c(3)=0 to 5;   c(4)=0 to 5;   with the proviso that:   c(1)+c(2)+c(3)+c(4)=c.   
     
     
         6 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 5 , wherein c(3)=c(4)=0. 
     
     
         7 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 5 , wherein c(1)/(c(2)+c(3)+c(4))=0.5 to 20. 
     
     
         8 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein a proportion by mass of oxyethylene groups (OC 2 H 4 ) based on a total mass of all (OC 2 H 3 R 3 ) groups is from 35% to 95%. 
     
     
         9 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein a number-average molecular weight of R 2  is from 200 g/mol to 2500 g/mol. 
     
     
         10 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polyether-modified siloxane has a cloud point of at least 30° C. 
     
     
         11 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , wherein a proportion by mass of the at least one polyether-modified siloxane based on a total mass of a treated seed is from 0.001 ppm to 1000 ppm. 
     
     
         12 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , wherein the seed is selected from the group consisting of grains from the grass family. 
     
     
         13 . A method of reducing the evolution of dust from seed using the dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 a. providing the seed, and   b. treating the seed with the at least one polyether-modified siloxane.   
     
     
         14 . A seed-dressing composition or seed-dressing liquor, comprising the dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A treated seed, comprising a seed and the dust binder for seed according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one polyether-modified siloxane has 45 to 70 silicon atoms. 
     
     
         17 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein in the formula (I), R is methyl and R 1  is methyl. 
     
     
         18 . The dust binder for seed according to  claim 3 , wherein in the formula (II), Z is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of (d+1)-valent hydrocarbyl radicals that are optionally interrupted by oxygen atoms and have 3 carbon atoms; R 3  is in each case independently selected from the group consisting of H and methyl; and R 4  is H. 
     
     
         19 . The dust hinder for seed according to  claim 11 , wherein the proportion by mass of the at least one polyether-modified siloxane based on the total mass of the treated seed is from 0.1 ppm to 10 ppm. 
     
     
         20 . The dust hinder for seed according to  claim 12 , wherein the seed is selected from the group consisting of a grain of wheat, rye, barley, oat, triticale, rice, maize, and millet/sorghum.