Title of Invention

REVERSE-PHASE MICROCAPSULES FOR ACTIVE INGREDIENTS, SIMPLIFIED PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF AND COMBINED FORMULATIONS WDG-CS,ZC,EC-SC, AND CX

Abstract This invention relates to microcapsules and processes of microencapsulation of water soluble or water dispersible compounds by reverse-phase microencapsulation, referred to agrochemicals but not as a limiting feature, and how to combine them with other oil soluble or oil dispersible compounds in suitable formulations for agriculture, in a industrially viable process that yields tiny microcapsules (<5-10 µm, preferably) and very homogeneous distribution of particle size, and overall good performance of the formulation. Further, multiple combinations of this reverse-phase microcapsules are disclosed, being specially notorious the combination with normal-phase microcapsules in order to create a Capsule Mixed Suspension (CX) where an outer oil -or alternatively water- phase contains microcapsules of two types: those with a core of water -and actives dissolved or dispersed therein- and those with a core of oil -and actives dissolved or dispersed therein-. Water Dispersable Granules (WDG) and Emulsion Concentrates (EC) and suspension concentrates (SC) combinations with the reverse phase microcapsules are also successfully performed, providing a novel concept of combinations of oil soluble with water soluble microencapsulated active ingredients.
Full Text Field of the invention
The invention is in the field of microencapsulation, particularly in the field of microencapsulation of water soluble
active ingredients in true microcapsules. The field of formulation of agricultural products is also addressed
herein.
Background of the invention
The present invention regards microcapsules where a water phase is in inside the core together with
biologically active ingredient(s), simplified process of microencapsulation and mixed formulations (capsule
suspension plus suspension in oil, capsule suspension plus suspension concentrate, etc) and uses thereof
Further, here is described in full for the first time a usable agricultural formulation type that we called Capsule
Mixed Suspension (proposed CX for a new two-letter code of international classification of formulations)
characterized in that the formulation contains: i) a water or oil continuous outer phase ii) microcapsules
containing an oily core with oil-soluble active ingredients and iii) microcapsules containing a watery core with
water-soluble active ingredients iv) suitable coformulants, in particular surface active compounds.
The unitary concept of this invention is the reverse microencapsulation of water soluble (or dispersible)
materials -active ingredients or a.i. -.
The technique of microencapsulation is well known in many fields. One field of special interest for the
inventors is agrochemistry (any type of chemical compounds that are used in agriculture to improve the benefits
of the farmer, including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, raticides, semiochemicals. viricides, molusquicides.
etc). However fields as cosmetics, medicine, pharmaceutics, etc., may take profit of the same microcapsules
and processes. For simplicity we will focus on agricultural uses.
The a.i. referred herein is in any of its forms, as long as it achieves a biologically technical effect,
Traditionally the a.i. (in short, a.i., the use of the term "a.i." is used in plural, unless it is explicitly understood that
is singular by the context) is referred as to the molecule (or moiety of the molecule) with herbicide, insecticide.
attractant, etc. activity. For example, in an herbicide composition, the a.i. would be the molecule having
herbicidal activity; in a cosmetic preparation, a fungicide that is part of the formulation and is inside the
microcapsules would be an a.i., although such formulation may not be directed primarily to have antifungal
effects (maybe is used for ant-wrinkle effect). The a.i. can be considered as well a safener or penetrator (e.g.
fatty alcohol ethoxylates for "fop" herbicides) in a herbicidal composition or a penetrator enhancer for fungicides
or herbicides (e.g. N-octyl-2-pyrrolidone), or a synergistic compound (e.g., a photosynthesis inhibitor that acts
synergistically with the herbicide "main" a.i.; also a synergist in the case of insecticides of the pyrethroid type
(e.g., pyperonyl butoxide). In other words, anything that has any type of biological activity either in its own or
combined with another compounds, is to be understood as a.i. in the present invention What would not be a i
are, for example clays, buffers, surface active compounds in so far they do not affect significantly the biological
effect of the a.i. and are present in the formulation as technological aids for the purpose of achieving usable
formulation (e.g., stable and perfectly dispersable in the spray tank), etc.

The vast majority of known (true -it is said, those that have a wall that makes a physical separation of
the a.i. from the continuous phase, to the contrary of those non-true "microcapsules" made by matrix
encapsulation) microcapsules in the agrochemical field have in their core (discontinuous phase) a water-
insoluble phase, it is said, the content of the microcapsule is oily, unpolar, substantially insoluble in water, and
the microcapsules are dispersed in water (continuous phase). Inside the core may be solids or dispersed
materials. Most of the prior art discloses microcapsules where the oily a.i.(s) is inside the microcapsule. We refer
to it as normal microencapsulation or normal phase microencapsulation (NPµ in short).
However, there are many limitations as to form microcapsules where the continuous media is oily and
the core contains water with water-soluble a.i. This is usually referred as reverse phase microencapsulation
(RPu in short). Patents dealing with RPµ, but providing rather different solutions are US 6531160 (reactive wall
forming materials not suitable for the purposes of this invention), US 6534094 (biodegradable polymer
undesired for our addressed problems, since we need a wall strong to weathering conditions) or US 6572894
(biodegradable wall as well).
The prior art shows an overwhelming presence of NPµ patents and scientific papers over that of RPu
The state of the art presents a very restricted ways as how to produce RPµ. The use of oil soluble isocyanates
or urea/melamine formaldehyde resins is the conventional way of performing NPµ. In the prior art. for achieving
RPu, the chosen wall forming materials must be in the water phase -or at least part of them- at the beginning of
the process, therefore leading to undesired degradation of some a.i. due to the reactive nature of these water-
soluble wall forming materials (e.g., polyols, wherein the hydroxyl group is free to react), difficulting the full
reaction of wall forming materials and leading to microcapsules of 30-100 µrn, bigger and more inhomogeneous
than those obtained in this invention (see Example 10, CEI).
After producing the RPµ, the microcapsules must be mixed with the appropriate coformulants in order to
obtain a functionally usable form of the microcapsules (e.g.. addition of dispersants. wetters skin UV-
protectors...). Normally the NPp microcapsules are formulated in a water phase (e.g., capsule suspensions for
agriculture) or after a drying process yielding water dispersable granules. Therefore; a need of different
coformulants for the RPu process and for the "second" process of formulation may cause logistic problems
especially to small companies wherein the availability of highly special chemicals (coformulants for NPµ or RPµ)
is limited.
One problem addressed in this invention is to obtain in the same commercial formulation NPµ and RPµ
Note that not even one product in the market has ever had this particular feature (double-beneficial
encapsulation of water and oil soluble a.i).
One of the main problems to be solved when performing a microencapsulation (if not the most important
problem) is to choose the right wall forming materials in order that they:
-do not react with the a.i. or coformulants, either by the presence in the same initial water phase or by its lack of
reactivity towards the chosen a.i.
-do polymerize in a controlled way
-do not leave unreacted compounds or toxic compounds after polymerization

-do form a polymer with the appropriate thickness, porosity and hydrophobicity to allow the desired controlled
release of the a.i.
-do permit that the size of the microcapsules is sufficient small for a correct functionality
-the distribution of the size to be uniform
This is achieved in this invention by a purposive selection of wall forming materials. The selection of the
wall forming materials according this invention has been done with due account of preserving all the needs state
above and, moreover, are appropriate for the much less usual reverse phase microencapsulation Our selected
wall forming materials allow not only such needs but also allow to microencapsulate a.i. in a high loads without
the use of PVP polymers, also, a very homogeneous particle size distribution, and a very low amount of
unencapsulated material. The use of glycoluril resins makes the process much less dangerous in terms of
human toxicology in front of prior art use of monomer isocyanates (with high toxic profile and volatility) The use
of glycoluril resins also makes the capsules more elastic and resistant to rupture by stresses during the
production and afterwards (e.g., filling machines).
The problems addressed by the invention are several, although the invention can be formulated as to
solve other problems as well, implicitly existing in the RPµ process.
The first problem is to find a reliably, simple and effective process of RPµ having microcapsules with
small and homogeneous particle size and appropriate porosity. Other problem addressed is to be able to
simplify the process of formulating for agriculture the RPµ product in such a way the need of different types of
raw materials for the formulation plant is reduced to a minimum, for logistical and economic reasons Also we
address the need of avoiding or reduce to a minimum the degradation of the a.i. during the process (or even
during storage) due to undesired side reactions. Also, we look for the combination of labile water- and/or oil-
soluble a.i. in the same formulation. Obtaining a dry and stable and functional formulation of microcapsules
made by RPµ, eventually with oil soluble a.i. incorporated in the dry formulation, is also one of our targets Here
is presented for the first time fully functional agricultural formulations wherein the two types of microcapsules are
combined (the CX). There is no commercial product containing combined capsule suspensions (namely, NPµ
and RPp). The prior art shows enabling disclosures of formulations of microcapsules containing water phase in
the core, or, always alternatively, oil phase in the core, but never before an enabling disclosure of a formulation
containing simultaneously two types of microcapsules with a watery-core and an oily-core It is highly surprising
that this need has been never solved during more than 40 years after the first microencapsulation processes
appeared and the increased efforts in the Agro industry to develop new formulations (reducing the investment in
searching new molecules). It is uncontestable that this invention provides a big step forward in the field of
formulation, at the view to the increased patents of the field of formulation and microencapsulation in the last
years, and the fact that no patent addresses this problem of microencapsulating oil and water soluble a.i with
two different techniques and combine the final products.
The invention solves these problems in the following way:
- Providing a new process of RPp with the use of determined wall forming materials, coformulants -those
disclosed herein may be interchangeable with similar ones as far as the functionality is the same (e.g.. with the

same HLB and solubility properties) and preferably the molecular structure is similar-, and selective ratios
conditions of reaction and treatment (formulation) of the solution microcapsules formed.
- Simplifying the process of RPµ in such a way that the same coformulants that are used in the step ot
formulation (same coformulants for different types of finished formulations). We refer to Example 1 to
understand better this solution, where a RPµ Capsule Suspension (CS) formulation is formulated with the same
coformulants as a combined CS-EC formulation (Capsule Suspension + Emulsion Concentrate).
- Obtaining a very reliable process of RPµ with a sharp distribution of the microcapsule's size without the need
of use prior art coformulants deemed essential till now for RPµ (e.g., polymers of the type of polyvinylpyrrolidone
-PVP-) and without the need of adding any wall forming material in the water phase initially prepared, by means
of choosing oil soluble wall forming materials and avoiding the contact of any water soluble wall-forming material
(that may be present) until at least the emulsification step, wherein the contact of water soluble ingredients is
reduced to a minimum (seconds or minutes at discrete intervals under agitation).
- Microencapsulating by RPµ the water soluble (or dispersible) a.i. and having the oil soluble ingredient
dispersed or dissolved in the continuous oil phase, with the processes already envisaged above and later mixing
with NPµ.
- Drying the formed microcapsules, both with a water soluble a.i. as the only a.i.; and also combination of water
soluble a.i. with oil-soluble a.i.. the latter being outside of the microcapsules. It cannot be assessed beforehand if
our RPµ would be stress-resistant to spray drying.
- Formulating the RPµ in such a way that can be incorporated with other formulations containing NPµ, providing
a completely new approach in the agrochemistry field of formulations -there is not even an international code
(e.g., used by the FAO or by the BCPC) for the type of formulations CX-.
We take a closer view of the prior art at the view of the problems cited.
US 3464926 and US 3577515 (Van de Gaer et al., Pennwalt Corporation) are pioneer inventions in the
field of microencapsulation. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of US 3464926 and description thereof, the process is
far complicated using flows and industrially complicated paths for the reactants to travel, economically very
costly nowadays to bring into practice. Further, that patent refers only to microencapsulation of pesticides
(diazinon and malathion) in "normal" phase, namely, oil in water, where the oil-soluble insecticide remains inside
the microcapsule.
The RPµ is described in US 3577515 Example 15, with the use of petroleum ether, carbon tetrachloride,
talc, tetraethylene pentamine, calcium hydroxide, water, and dimer acid chloride, being the wall formed by the
reaction of dimer acid chloride with tetraethylene pentamine. This (reactants, microcapsules formed, and
process) process is rather different than the one described in the present invention, where, for example, we
make no use of acid chlorides (highly reactive and likely to degradate a.i. to react to form the wall. No mention of
the use of the RPµ for any agrochemical use is suggested in the case of water in oil microencapsulation, either
the recommended sizes for a good performance in the final application in the field of such microcapsules or
release rate characteristics.
The inventors have observed that, contrary to what is described in the closest prior art US 4524783,
where to form to polyurea wall to microencapsulate the water soluble compounds they use necessarily polyols

[Examples 2, 3, 4, 6, 1. 8, 9 and 10] or polyamines [Examples 1 and 5] in the water phase), there is no need of
using any amine or any alcohol or any further compound in the water phase to achieve a the RPµ according to
the present invention. Having wall forming materials in the water phase provokes eventually undesired side
reactions with the a.i. (this fact is so obvious for a skilled in chemistry that we do not provide more information on
this regard). The present invention solves this problem "isolating" the a.i. in the water phase. According to the
present invention, the microencapsulation may be carried out with a water phase that only contains the water
soluble compounds(s) (a.i.) and water. This surpressive possibility of the removal of any additional compound in
the water phase is beneficial for the stability of the water soluble compound(s) to microencapsulate, since the
reactions of decomposition or just any kind of interference, are avoided by virtue of "isolating" the water soluble-
a.i.(s) in a phase, leaving all the rest of the compounds in the other phase (oil phase).
One of the problems addressed in the present invention is to provide a water phase free from wall
forming materials (if needed so) that may interact with the water soluble a.i.(s) to microencapsulate All prior art
cited above use part of the wall forming material to be in the oil phase, US 4,534,783 makes use of diols in the
water phase to react with the adipyl chloride (in example 4) or with the 1,6-Hexamethylenediisocyanate in
example 3, or the amines in example 5, etc. US 6113935 uses in wall forming materials in the water phase; in
Table 1 (examples 2 to 8) the prepolymeric water forming material in the water phase is WS-351-380, or even
urea/formaldehyde in the example 1
US 6359031 (Lykke et al.) performs a RPµ process by virtue of using carboxy-functional polymers to
associate with amine functional reactive monomers in order to avoid that the non-protected (by carboxy groups)
polymers are dispersed in the oil phase -remarking our addressed problem of undesired side reactions due to
reactivity of wall-forming materials-. This solution is far complicated to perform, due to the cost of functionalizing
with carboxy groups the water soluble polymers (implying lack of commercial sources or high prices of proposed
polymers). This solution is appropriate for high-priced final microcapsules, as those described therein for
enzymes, but such solution, as of today, is not viable for industrial application in the field of agrochemistry.
Moreover, the extremely complicated modification of the polymers in order to achieve RPµ, when compared to
this invention, makes more surpressive and inventive the easy solution proposed in the present invention Also
exists the possibility that these carboxy-protected polymers (the carboxy group or reduced aldehydes/ketones or
alcohols) react with the water soluble a.i.(s).
US 6113935 (Rodson and Scher, Zeneca Ltd.), published in 2000, still addresses the microencapsulation
providing a water phase containing the reactive wall forming materials. This approach is preferentially avoided in
the present invention, to avoid any side reaction in between the products to microencapsulate and for the first
time here allowing a reverse microencapsulation with the use of only oil soluble wall forming materials. The
presence of urea or melamine formaldehyde polymers in the water phase makes more difficult the completion till
the end of the wall forming reaction, as well explained in US 6113935 A1, col. 5: "As the polymer wall becomes
more rigid, contact between the active groups on the [water-soluble] prepolymer becomes increasingly more
difficult." This chemical scenario is completely reversed in our case. Since the wall forming materials are in the
oil phase, the increased thickness of the wall will not prevent that the rest of the material self-polymerizes. When
in US 6113935 is said that the polymerization reaction is "self-terminating" is not due to a perfect availability of

wall forming materials to react completely (it is not desirable to have rests of toxic unreacted wall forming
materials in the final formulation), rather to the impossibility due to the growth of the wall thickness of complete
reaction of the wall forming materials. Therefore, in US 6113935, it is said "the reaction is self-terminating and is
generally allowed to run to completion", provided this is interpreted in the light of the previous sentence where it
is explained that this completion is due to the difficulty of the active groups of the water soluble prepolymer to
really react completely. In our microencapsulation process, by virtue of the presence of the wall forming
materials in the oil phase, there is indeed a completion of the reaction thanks to the absolutely complete reaction
of the wall-forming materials (to the difference of US 6113935, where the "completion" or 'finishing" is due to
unavailability to react more than the limit given by the wall thickness). Moreover, US 6113935 system does not
provide a solution to use the same process/components (of, e.g., Adjustemt Mixtures A and B from our Example
1) for producing agrochemical formulations that may later be transformed easily in a combined formulation, as
the solution offered in the present invention. No hint is provided as to formulate RPµ with NPµ.
It must be acknowledged that from a scientific point of view, the specialized literature is a source of
guarantied knowledge for the state of the art, in between other things, because are peer reviewed publications,
the prestige and the scientific correctness of the writer is in play and this is the way, how the scientist and
technicians obtain fairly "trusted" information sources. We find in the book "Chemistry of Crop Protection" (Edited
by Voss and Ramos, from the recognized Publisher Wiley-VCH, ISBN 3-527-30540-8) that the solution
proposed by the inventors of the present patent goes against any expectation for the skilled in the art. namely,
our proposal of using the wall forming materials only in the oil phase is disregarded as possible by the
recognized microencapsulation expert George B. Beestman -inventor of one of the few RPµ and process, US
4534783-, in pg. 273 of that book: To prepare the reverse phase W/O (Water-in-Oil) emulsions care must be
taken to select monomers that will remain in the dispersed water droplet during the emulsion stage. If the
monomers diffuse from suspended droplets into the continuous phase polymerization will happen throughout the
emulsion and not at the interface as intended. No microcapsules will be formed". He insists later in the same
paragraph that in a process where amines participate, the microcapsules would have not been produced The
relatively new book (edited in 2003), used as standard reference in this field, does not give any hint into initiating
the emulsification process without any compound in the water phase, lesser to provide the catalyst (in our case
eventually a cycled azo compound) after emulsification has began, rather teaches away from the solution
proposed. This inventiveness shown in the present application must be taken into account when considering that
the closest prior art available is a patent of the author that teaches away from our solution proposed (Beestman
shows a RPµ for water soluble agrochemicals). In the same chapter of Beestman. a mention of in-situ
polymerization is made, but this time no reference of a possible formation of a RPµ is made using this type of
polymerization (in fact, the only envisaged methods in the patent literature of performing a RPµ are those using
the wall forming material either only in the water phase or in both oil and water phases, but not only in the oil
phase as addressed in this invention in its preferred embodiment).
Note that according the invention, it is not addressed only that the water phase contains no wall forming
material, rather, that in our aim to provide a simplified process of production of reverse phase microcapsules for
further addition of other components or transformations in the formulation types -e.g. from a Capsule

Suspension (CS) to a CS plus suspension concentrate (SC)-. Although we have found that one of the preferred
embodiments is highly surprising over the state of the art, in the sense of the placing wall forming materials in
the oil phase, nothing prevents the skilled in the art to use other features of this invention with traditional RPµ
with wall forming material in the oil phase, as long as other benefits of this invention are achieved (e.g..
combined RPµ and NPµ (CX formulation)). Then, the disclosure of this invention also embraces embodiments
that have wall-forming materials in both phases, as a less attractive alternative, but possible In this case it is
needed that any material present in the water phase is inert with regard the a.i. and other components of the
(initial) water phase. The term "inert" is well defined and clear in this invention: the water-soluble wall forming
materials must not react, in the presence of water, and in the same proportions that are used in the water phase
preparation of the process described herein, with the water-soluble a.i.(s) chosen, that are in the water phase.
These notes are needed to emphasize that the present invention solves the main problem of finding an
improved process of microencapsulation of water soluble or dispersible a.i., and the partial problems of
facilitating logistical needs and combinations of the microcapsules formed. Each of these partial problems has its
own solution that may be used independently, with the common inventive concept of new RPµ applications. The
same applies to the other partial problems mentioned above.
The invention comprises -when isolating its application in agrochemistry- the combination in a single
formulation, of at least a microencapsulated water soluble agrochemical (preferably glyphosate and/or sulfosate
and/or glufosinate) combined with an oil soluble insecticide outside the microcapsules (preferably sulfonylureas
and/or sulfonamides) or in normal phase microcapsules, in such a way that all the a i. remain stable, and
optionally drying the resulting combination to obtain water dispersable granules containing RPµ and NPµ
encapsulated (also non-encapsulated) sulfonylureas. Some preferred embodiments including sulfonylureas
emanates due to the well-known instability of sulfonamides, and the wide use of glyphosate, sulfosate and
glufosinate. Surprisingly, the inventors have realized that the process to microencapsulate water soluble
herbicides herein disclosed, may be continued with the addition in the oil phase of sulfonylureas without any
detriment to the functionality of the first microencapsulated water-soluble agrochemical or the subsequently
added oil soluble material. Therefore the invention provides using the same process, either RPµ-water-soluble
agrochemical (e.g. glyphosate) or, if desired, RPµ-water-soluble agrochemical plus oil soluble agrochemical
(free or NP-microencapsulated).
It must be noted that the state of the art processes for NPµ, allow to have dry microcapsules containing
oily agrochemicals in the core of microcapsules. These microcapsules can be added (dispersed) in the
continuous phase of a RPµ formulation, in such a way at the end we have a formulation with water-soluble
ingredients microencapsulated but also with oil-soluble ingredients microencapsulated. The dispersion in oil of
such water-dried microcapsules can be done using dispersants of the type sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate
cresolformadehyde condensation products, EO/PO block copolymers or metal salts of fatty acid methyl taurides
As wetters for good dispersibility and suspensibility, we propose isotridecyl alcohol ethoxylate. sodium lauryl
sulphate ans metal salts of alkylsulfosuccinate, like sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate.
It is a question of obviousness that, in principle, any water soluble stable small organic molecule (eg
agrochemicals, many medicines, alkaloids, oligopeptides) may be submitted to our RPµ and also that any oil

soluble stable small organic molecule (e.g.. agrochemicals, many medicines) may be added to the oil outer
phase.
It is also a question of common knowledge for the skilled in the art which agrochemicals are not
comprised in the scope in the patent, namely, those which for whatever reason would not be able to be used
according the present invention: for example, an inorganic water or oil insoluble fertilizer could not fall in the
scope of the invention if there is no reasonable mean to disperse it in the water or the oil phase; either any a i
that would decompose by thermal degradation at the temperatures set out in the present invention Namely, we
claim that the invention is feasible in all the range of a.i. except those that can obviously not be submitted to our
process. For the selection of the a.i., no undue burden is left to the skilled in the art, rather, only his/her normal
knowledge in the area of microencapsulation and chemistry.
Detailed description of the invention
The microencapsulation of the water soluble compound is performed having a water phase, wherein the
water soluble compound (or mixture of water soluble compounds) is(are) dissolved, and an oil phase wherein
the wall forming materials (polymers, prepolymers, oligomers or monomers), the catalyst(s), dispersants and
coformulants are dissolved in an organic solvent.
Water phase
According to this invention, the microencapsulation may be carried out with a water phase that only
contains the water soluble compound(s) and water. The removal of any additional compound in the water phase
before the emulsion step takes place is beneficial for the stability of the water soluble compound(s) to
microencapsulate, since the reactions of decomposition or just any kind of interference, are avoided by virtue of
"isolating" the water soluble a.i.(s) in a phase, leaving all the rest of the compounds in the oil phase. Is also
possible to use water soluble wall forming materials, in so far other problems addressed in this invention are
solved and provided that the water soluble wall forming materials do no react with the a.i
Oil phase
Solvent: Any solvent able to dissolve the a.i. (whether a single a.i. or a combination of oil-soluble a.i.) is
able to be used, as far is inert for the a.i. Usual solvents are vegetal or mineral oils aromatic parafinic or
aliphatic hydrocarbons of the type of Solvesso® 100, 150 or 200, Marcol®, Isopar® including aliphatic,
hydrocarbons that are aromatic and mixes thereof etc. More volatile solvents may also be used, as lower
alcohols (e.g., butanol, hexanol, octanol), cyclohexanone, gamma-butyrolactone. N-alkyllactams. N:N-
dimetylalkyl -amides or-amines, and in general, any solvent used in agrochemical products. Preferred are
Wall forming materials: As wall forming materials we select a combination chosen at least from one of
the two groups (preferably from both):
a) isocyanates, preferably, an aliphatic isocyanate, preferably chosen from the group TMXDI, Cythane" 3174
[CYTEC], eventually, and/or an aromatic isocyanate (preferably chosen from TDI, MDI) The short names for
isocyanates used in this invention are well known for the skilled in the art and common in the patent literature.

b) glycoluril resins, preferably, Cymel® 1170, Cymel®, 1171 Powderlink® 1174, Cymei 1172 (from CYTEC
Industries
A preferred combination is to choose TMXDI and Cythane® 3174 from group a) together with Cyme!
1170 of group b) with a ratio 10:1 to 1:10 in wt.-% of TMXDI to Cythane® 3174; preferably with a ration in wt.-%
of group a) to group b) from 15:1 to 2:1
Catalysts: Any catalyst able to catalyze the polymerization reaction is able to be used. Dialkyltin fatty
acids are preferred, in particular dibutyl tin laureate. Also a cyclic (di- or tri- or tetra-cyclo) (mono-, di-. tri-, tetra-
)aza catalyst, is used, preferably {1,8-}Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene [in short, DBU]. The azacyclo catalyst
may belong either to the initial oil phase or to the emulsion water in oil solution that is formed during the process
(introduced dissolved in oil right after the beginning of the emulsification, this is our preferred solution, since
better control of reaction is achieved). This way, it reacts (and is preferentially located) on the interface of the
water and oil phases with the wall forming materials. The DBU is preferably used as a solution in the oil solvent
preferably from 5-50% in wt.-%. Any coformulant that is water soluble and may be functionally of interest for the
final formulation might be added in the initial water phase (e.g., a dispersant for water-dispersed a.i. with low
affinity for the chosen oil phase). In order to speed the reaction when using glycoluril resins, a catalyst of the
type proton transfer catalysts (preferably of the type p-toluensulfonic acid and derivatives) is recommended
although we have surpressively observed that is not necessary. The glycolurils are incorporated in the mixed
polyurea-gllycoluril wall without the need of these recommended sulfonic acids
Coformulants: For the purposes of obtaining a water phase as "pure' as possible, the coformulants will
preferably be oil soluble and be in the oil phase. However, inert coformulants may be added to the water phase
as desired, as it can be the case of antifreeze agents (e.g., propylen- or diethylen- or polypropylene- glycol) pH
adjusters, antioxidants, UV-protectors, etc. Preferably there will be used surfactants and dispersants, in the oil
phase, of the type Atlox® 4914, Atlox® LP-6 or/and LP-1, and any conventional surfactants that may easily be
found in catalogs (e.g., Clariant, ICI, Rodhia surfactant/dispersant catalogs) with similar functionality as those
mentioned For the purposes of achieving a good microencapsulation, no other coformulants are needed in our
process. However, any further coformulants that may be needed for a good performance of the final formulation
(e.g., wetters, binders, other dispersants, etc.) may be added in this oil or water phase, or preferably at the end
of the process.
EMULSIFICATION-MICROENCAPSULATIONSTEP
Once we have both oil and water phases, we just perform an emulsification step, that in laboratory
conditions may be done with an Ultraturrax L4 at 30-95°C for 2-20 minutes. After the first minute of
emulsification, the azo catalyst is to be added slowly. At this stage the structure of the wall of the microcapsules
is already initiated and partially terminated. The emulsion is left with gentle agitation (anchor stirrer for example)
at 40-80°C for 30-240 minutes in order to cure the microcapsules. We already have the microencapsulated
formulation of water soluble compound.

FORMULATION STEP
If the final product is an agrochemical formulation, we need to add further components in order that the
product will be emulsifiable in water. For this purpose we can use compounds of the type Atlox® G-5000.
Dispersing Agent LFH®, Atlox® MBA 13/8, Attagel® 50 (preferably in solution 10-90 wt.-%) and eventually more
solvent.
At this stage we already have a fully functional agrochemical formulation ready to be use by the farmer
(emulsification in the water tank and spray).
The applicant have invented this process in order that further combination with other oil-soluble
agrochemicals is surpressively easy when using the process described above.
From the formulation obtained above, it can be just added the oil soluble a.i. (or mixture of a.i.) in pure
form -if liquid- or preferably dissolved in the same solvent that constitutes the oil continuous phase described
above.
This process allows the producer to convert easily a capsule suspension formulation (in reverse phase,
namely with oil as continuous phase) into a mixture of a capsule suspension with an emulsion concentrate
We have surpresively found that to the "microencapsulated in water phase"-material it can be added (as
continuous phase) an oil suspension (e.g., by emulsification) of water-soluble material that has been previously
milled and stabilized in the oil with the aid of coformulants (mainly dispersants for homogeneicity), namely to for
a suspension in oil + capsule suspension formulation.
The water phase inside the microcapsules may contain water-insoluble a.is dispersed in such water
phase, plus coformulants to stabilize the suspension. These are variants of the present invention that the skilled
in the art may reproduce with common knowledge in the field. A need in the case of mixing water-soluble
compounds with water-insoluble compounds that are milled (dispersed in the water inside the microcapsules) is
that they are not chemically incompatible. In the case of addition of oil-dispersed a.i.. the process described
above is directly useful, since there is no way in which the oil-dispersed a.i. will go inside the microcapsules. In
the case that is added in the initial water phase a water-dispersed a.i., care must be taken in order that during
the emulsification process the water insoluble a.i. (intended to be inside the microcapsule) does not go into the
oil phase: for this reason, only compounds that are insoluble in water, and at the same time insoluble (not readily
soluble) in the chosen solvent (oil phase) are able to be incorporated according the present invention
Otherwise, we have seen that a high migration to the outer oil phase. In these cases of looking for a good
dispersion in water, the better approach is to look for an oil phase wherein the water-insoluble a.i is also not
soluble. This may be the case where the a.i. is soluble in low molecular weight solvents (eg , tebuconazole as
a.i. in cyclohexanone) but is substantially insoluble in naphtha solvents (e.g.. tebuconazole in Solvesso 100) In
this case, the tebuconazole could be milled and suspended in the water phase (nitrogen atoms of tebuconazole
show affinity for water) and would not go preferentially to the Solvesso 100. thus allowing the
microencapsulation of both the water-soluble a.i. and the water-insoluble a.i. The selection of the oil phases that
is the best for avoiding this migration of the milled water-insoluble a.i., is a routine task based on the selection of
the oil phase solvent.

The possible formulations obtainable by this invention are provided in the following scheme:
-active ingredients that are water soluble: ai-ws1, ai-ws2, ai-ws3, etc.
-active ingredients that are oil-soluble: ai-os1, ai-os2, ai-os3, etc.
-RPµ: reverse phase microcapsules (water and water-soluble a.i. in the core)
-NPµ: normal phase microcapsules (oil and oil-soluble a.i. in the core
-SC: a suspension concentrate in water of an oil-soluble a.i. milled and dispersed in water
-AM-SC: an Adjustment Mixture appropriate for emulsifying the RPµ into an SC (or viceversa) to form a RPµ-SC
(=ZC)
-AM-WDG: an Adjustment Mixture appropriate for creating water dispersable granules
-AM-EC: an Adjustment Mixture in which an ai-os1 is in the form of Emulsion Concentrate, that after mixing with
the RPµ in oil produce an EC of RPµ, having both ai-ws1 and ai-os1.
-AM-NP: an Adjustment Mixture added to a NPµ, appropriate for emulsifying an NPµ formulation into the RPµ in
oil.
-AM-NPX: an Adjustment Mixture appropriate for emulsifying an RPµ formulation into the NPµ in water
-CX: combined capsule suspension, namely, a combination in the same formulation of RPµ [containing ai-ws1;
and NPµ [containing ai-os1],
-CXw: CX wherein the continuous phase is water
-CXo: CX wherein the continuous phase is oil
-DRPµ: dry reverse phase microcapsules (after, e.g., spray drying of RPµ in oil)
-AM-DRP: an Adjustment Mixture appropriate for drying (e.g., spray drying) RPµ into a fluid formulation of RPµ
microcapsules (DRPµ)
-AM-NRP: an Adjustment Mixture appropriate for drying (e.g., spray drying) NPµ into a fluid formulation of NPp
microcapsules (DNPµ)
a. RPµ with ai-ws1 in the core, dispersed in oil
b. RPµ + AM-WDG -> (spray dry) [extrusion is an equivalent process] -> WDG of RPµ with as-wsl
c. RPµ + SC + AM-SC -> (spray dry) -> WDG of RPµ with ai-ws1 and ai-osl
d. RPµ + AM-EC -> RPµ-EC with ai-os1 together with a RPµ with ai-ws1
e. 1) RPµ + AM-NP -> (addition to the oil in which the RPµ is present of a NPµ formulation) ->
CXw in watery continuous phase with ai-ws1 and ai-os-2, both a.i. being microencapsulated ->
(spray dry) -> WDG-CXw
2) NPµ - AM-NPX-> (addition to the water in which the NPµ is present of a RPµ formulation) ->
CXo in oily continuous phase with ai-ws1 and ai-os-2, both a.i. being microencapsulated ->
(spray dry) -> WDG-CXo
f. RPµ + AM-DRP -> (drying) -> DRPµ + NPp -> CXw
g. NPµ + AM-DNP -> (drying) -> DNPµ +RPµ -> CXo

In order to achieve a CX formulation, in the examples are given the preferred surfactants: they must
satisfy that the RPµ to be mixed with a NPµ (or viceversa) are in a quantity from 1-50%. preferably 5-25% and
more preferably 10-20% in the formulation to be combined. To mix a RPµ into a NPµ surfactants with high HLB
are needed, with a HLB of 7-14, preferably 8-14 and more preferably 9-13. To mix a NPµ into a RPµ surfactants
with low HLB are needed, with a HLB of 1-7, preferably 1-5, and more preferably from 2-5. As first choice, the
skilled in the art trying to reproduce the invention should try the proposed surfactants in the concentrations set in
the section Examples. When failing these trials, increase on the concentration of surfactants of 10% is to be
tested, then selecting two or three similar surfactants (but with different molecular formula) with similar HLB If
this two short tests fail, then a surfactant (preferably with same formula but with changed number of
ethoxylated/propoxylated mols) an increased or decreased HLB (respectively for mixing RPµ to NPµ and for
mixing NPµ to RPµ) is to be tried. These basic and necessary adjustments, following these recommendations
have been proved to work for at least 25 different combinations of a.i. and concentrations of a.i. by the inventors
therefore this process is deemed to be workable in all the claimed range of existing agrochemicals In all these
trials, the first choice solvent for the NPµ is of type naphtha, as second choice parafinic oils, and as third choice
vegetable oils (preferably hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated). As a rule, the minimum deviation from the
surfactants and solvents and wall forming materials, is preferred to be able to perform workable formulations
In order to obtain water dispersable granules from CX formulations (or all the other possibilities
mentioned in the invention containing RPµ) we have seen that the best procedure is to provide a matrix for
absorbing the oil, with customary aids for drying for each batch, in particular for spray drying (by analogy, in the
extrusion processes). The most preferred way to perform this step of drying RPµ or CX-containing formulations
is by spray-drying, adding to the spray chamber absorbants or adsorbants of the type caolin. clays o-
carbohydrates (starches, carboxymethylcellulose, cyclodextrins; and derivatives, etc.) Again, the lesser deviation
from the examples, the better results are expected.
We have surpresively found that most of the emulsifiers adequate for performing emulsification of oils
into water may be used without any interference with the capsule suspension stability in the final CX formulation
Therefore, we include herein those surfactants appropriate for forming oil in water emulsions, as extensively
explained in catalogs, e.g. that of Uniquema catalogs available on Internet (www.uniquema com) and in hard
copy, cp/e/9-99/-/eur/02/1 k (adjuvants) or cp/e/9-99/-/eur/03/1 k (Formulation additives) This is evidently not
obvious, since the mentioned products are though not at all for emulsifying oil containing capsules, rather only to
emulsify oils in water. No mention therein is made that capsule suspensions would be stable when emulsifying a
RPµ formulation into a NPµ with high HLB surfactants (or the reverse for NPµ into NPµ with low HLB
surfactants). Indeed, we believe that in our invention is for the first time shown the stability of microcapsules
when mixing RPµ and NPµ (or viceversa) when using conventional surfactants.
For reasons of clarity, we will discuss in detail the invention related with the claims (each paragraph
marked refers to the claim number pointed out).

§1 The invention provides microcapsules for controlled release of water soluble or dispersible compounds,
preferably agrochemicals, characterized in that the microcapsule have a polymeric wall consisting in the in-situ
reaction polymeric product of the only oil soluble material(s) selected from at least one of the groups i) or ii)
more preferably at least one of each group, and most preferably one of each group:
i) at least a glycoluril resin, preferably a tetra-butoxylated glycoluril resin
ii) at least an isocyanate, preferably an aliphatic polyisocyanate resin
and, when chosen from both types, the ratio of ii) to i) is at the most 20:1 and at least 1 2
and the average size of the microcapsules is from 0.1 urn to 50 µm. preferably 1 to 5 µm, and the size percentile
90 of the microcapsules is at the most 200 µm, preferably 35µm, when measured in dispersion in water in a
laser diffraction apparatus, optionally of the type Mastersizer™.
It is quite relevant the term "oil soluble" materials, which form the wall: this means in the present claim that the
wall forming materials are in the oil phase and only in the oil phase when performing the microencapsulation
However, this technical feature is reflected as well in the finished microcapsules (since the wall is formed only by
oil soluble polymers) therefore we direct a claim to the product itself, not necessarily as a product by process
claim.
The prior art in RPµ show that the wall forming materials must be selected from melamine-formaldehyde or
urea-formaldehyde resins (as in US 6113935, claim 1 a)) placed on the water phase or the polymer formed is a
polyamide, polyurea, polyurethane, polysulfonamide, polyesther or polycarbonate (as in US 4534783). wherein
the wall forming materials are also placed (at least some of them necessarily) in the water phase. The formation
of a glycoluril-polyurea polymer for reverse phase microencapsulation is new, and provides advantages over the
prior art. Repetion of example 10 of US 4534783 yield microcapsules with a mean particle size of 74 pm with a
percentile 90 of 398 pm. A further attempt to achieve smaller microcapsules with the basis of a polyurea wall,
led indeed to smaller microcapsules, but then part of the IPA salt crystallized (about 13%) in the oil phase
Repetition of examples 2 and 8 of US 6113935 lead to very big microcpasules (actually the denomination of
microcapsules begins to be no more applicable) with a mean diameter of 289 pm and 310 pm respectively, with
a percentile 90 at 1512 pm. It is clear that exists the need of small microcapsules that are able to be attached to
the points of action of the respective compound (e.g., a fungicide or herbicide inside of microcapsules will
perform better is the size allows a better attachment to the fungi or the leaves, and this is directly dependent with
the size), further, for some cosmetic applications smaller microcapsules resist much better stresses due to
mixing operations or even high pressure homogenization processes. Another advantage of the smaller size of
microcapsules is that they have a faster release due to the higher surface provided by the smaller spheres (and
in the case that a fast release wants to be avoided, our invention solves this increasing the percentage of wall
forming materials over the total weight, in that way. the wall is thicker, attenuating the release, but with similar
outer diameter)
Even more important is the homogeneicity of the microcapsules (that the maximum possible of the
microcapsules are very close to the mean, namely, is a pronounced leptocurtic Gaussian distribution, in other
words the peak showing microcapsules' count versus size is as sharp as possible (see attached particle size

measurements). This homogeneicity is also fundamental to obtain a product with reliable functionality. While in
the field of normal phase microencapsulation (NPµ) some of these problems have been solved, the special
characteristics of the RPµ, led these needs not to have been solved till now. In order to make clear what is one
of the multiple advantages of this invention, the size preferred must be in between 0 1 to 25 urn in average and
to have homogeneous, sharp distribution, the percentile 90 we recommend to be under 50 urn Naturally, we
obtain bigger microcapsules just by decreasing the amount of emulsifier and reducing the shearing stress during
the emulsification step.
The material to be microencapsulated may be a single compound or a combination of compounds: eg
in an herbicide formulation, diquat and paraquat; in a medicinal formulation against asthma, caffeine and
theophylline and theobromine.
The compounds to microencapsulate must be water soluble or water dispersible, normally used at a
concentration below the solubility limit of solubility the chosen compounds. However the compounds may be
over its solubility limit (therefore, part will be solubilized and part precipitated). The requirement for such
embodiment is that the compound used over the solubility in water limit, especially the solid part, is thoroughly
dispersed in the water with the use of commercial common water dispersants. This a routine task that can be
accomplished by adding to the water phase a water-soluble dispersant and a previous milling of the water phase
(or an aliquot of the water phase) in a conventional milling machine to the desired particle size
Another requirement for the invention to be workable is that the solubility of this solid compound in the
chosen oil phase is very low or at least lower than that in water. For example, acifluorfen-sodium (solubility in
water about 60 g/L) could be formulated at 100 g/L in the core of the microcapsules, the 40 g/L that would be in
solid form due to reaching the solubility limit should be not soluble, or few soluble in the oil phase Therefore we
could chose hexane as the matrix of the oil. phase or even isooctanol, where the solubility is around 6 g/L Due
to the chosen initially water phase and the water-dispersants used, the water-dispersed acifluorfen-sodium will
tend to stay in the water phase and not displace to the oil phase before the microcapsules are formed It is
contemplated that the a.i. is insoluble in water, and it is dispersed therein, but is at the same time insoluble -or at
least less soluble than in water- in the oil phase. We will refer in this document as something insoluble' or
"substantially insoluble" when the solubility is lower than 1 g/L, with respect to the phase referred in each case
For example, we could mill the fungicide tebuconazole (insoluble in water) in water, and then use a unpolar
solvent as the "matrix" of the oil phase (namely, majoritary compound of the oil phase, when used several
unpolar solvents these considered together would be the matrix), provided that tebuconazole is also insoluble in
such oil phase. As a example, we could chose hexane, wherein the tebuconazole has a solubility lower than 0 1
g/L.
Both microencapsulations of acifluorfen-sodium and tebuconazole have shown to work (homogeneous
microcapsules of mean diameter of, respectively, 9 and 11 urn, and negligible presence of the a is in the oil
phase by, respectively, HPLC-UV and GC-FID analysis).
A further advantage of using glycoluril resins is that they, by chemical structure, are much less reactive
than the conventional urea and melamine resins, therefore allowing a better control of the reaction when
performed in industrial size.

We also claim:
§2 Microcapsules wherein the microcapsule have a polymeric wall consisting in the reaction of:
i) a glycoluril resin, preferably a tetra-butoxylated glycoluril resin
ii) an aliphatic polyisocyanate resin, preferably of the type Cythane® 3714, combined with
TMXDI
wherein in the polymerization reaction it is used at least a catalyst selected from one or the two the
groups
i) polycyclic azo compound, preferably [di-, tri- or tetra-]cyclo [mono- di-. tri- or tetra-jaza
catalyst, preferably a diazabicyclo catalyst, more preferably {1,8-}Diazabicyclo[5 4 0]undec-
7-ene.
ii) a non-nitrogenated oil-soluble catalyst, preferably dialkyl tin fatty acid ester, and more
preferably dibutyl tin laurate
preferably with one catalyst from each group and most preferably the combination of {1.8-
}Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene and dibutyl tin laurate
In this case, we want to point out what is the preferred solution that we adopt, namely the combination of
the said wall forming materials, and that the wall is formed (therefore the microcapsules is also characterize by
that) with the aid of the mentioned catalysts. Further the selection of the catalyst i) is advantageous because we
have surpresively noticed that if we add such catalyst right after the emulsification is begun, the catalyst is able
to perform the wall forming reaction. Further, it is our best solution found to combine these two types of
catalysts, another surprising effect of this invention, since what is prior art is to use one catalyst of one type, and
not two catalysts as we propose optionally. The reaction is achieved equally by the use only of dibutyl tin laurate,
but the size of the microcapsules is then increased by about 10%. Obvious variations of catalysts structures
also work in our invention (e.g., dibutyl tin stearate, triaza catalysts, tricycle catalysts, etc.), in any case is a
question of elementary chemical synthesis knowledge to disregard which catalyst could not perform enough well
the reaction.
§3 When applying the present invention to the field of agrochemicals, the preferred compounds to
microencapsulate are selected from the list: acifluorfen-sodium, ammonium sulfamate, asulam-sodium
aviglycine hydrochloride, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, bilanafos-sodium, bispyribac-sodium.
borax, bromoxynil heptanoate, sec-butylamine, cartap hydrochloride, chlormequat chloride sodium
chloroacetate, clofencet-potassium, clopyralid-olamine, copper sulfate, 2,4-D-dimethylammonium, 2 4-D-sodium
dalapon-sodium, 2,4-DB-sodium, dicamba, dichlorprop-potassium, dikegulac-sodium, dinoterb-diolamine, diquat
dibromide, diquat dichloride, ferrous sulfate, flucarbazone-sodium, flupropanate-sodium, formaldehyde,
formetanate hydrochloride, fosamine-ammonium, fosetyl-aluminium, fosthiazate, gibberellic acid, glufosinate-
ammonium, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, glyphosate-trimesium. glyphosate-sodium glyphosate-ammonium
glyphosate, guazatine acetates, GY-81. hexazinone, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate, hymexazol. imazalil sulfate

imazapyr, imazaquin-ammonium, iminoctadine triacetate, iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, loxynil-sodium, ioxynil
kasugamycin hydrochloride hydrate, maleic hydrazide, maleic hydrazide potassium salt, MCPA-sodium, MCPA
sodium, mepiquat chloride, mercuric chloride, mesosulfuron-methyl, mesotrione metalaxyl. metalaxyi-M
metam-sodium, methamidophos metho'myl, methaldehyde, naptalam-sodium. nicotine, sodium o
nitrophenolate, sodium p-nitrophenolate, sodium 5-nitroguaiacolate, paraquat dibromide, paraquat dichloride.
sodium pentachlorophenoxide. sodium 2-phenylphenoxide, phloxine, picloram-triisopropanolammonium.
picloram-potassium, propamocarb hydrochloride, propoxycarbazone-sodium, pyrithiobac-sodium, streptomycin
sesquisulfate, strychnine, 2,3,6-TBA, trichloroacetic acid, TCA-sodium, thiocyclam hydrogen oxalate,
trifloxysulfuron-sodium, validamycin, chlordimeform hydrochloride, chlorphonium chloride, dehydroacetic acid 2-
methoxyethylmercury chloride, natamycin, potassium cyanate, prothiocarb hydrochloride, sodium fluoride
sodium hexafluorosilicate, TEPP; in any water soluble form, in any isomeric or stereochemical composition
Not only this water soluble ingredients may be microencapsulated according the present invention
cosmetics and pharmaceutical a.i. water-soluble, and not readily reactive with the wall forming materials may be
microencapsulated.
Although some of these compounds (active ingredient) are few soluble in water this solubility is
acceptable for the purposes of the invention since this low solubility may suffice for bioactivity in especial for
those agrochemicals highly active at very low doses. However, the easier use, in the sense of higher dosage
and no need of dispersion, of the present invention is for those compounds with solubility in water at least of
10% in wt.-%. It is to be understood that the list provides the most common chemical names of the a.i.. in the
most common form. Obviously, for this list, and for all other mentioned a.i. in this document (e.g.. oil soluble a.i i
salts or the methyl derivatives or demethylated derivatives of mentioned compounds are explicitly included (e.g.
glyphosate includes glyphosate-ammonium, glyphosate-isopropylammonium, glyphosate trimesium, and so on).
What is important is that the biologically active part of the molecule represented by the abovementioned
representative compounds is present in the derivatives. This also includes isomers and stereoisomers and
different crystal forms. When the salt is soluble in water and the free (e.g. acid) form is insoluble in water, then
for the purposes of microencapsulation on claim 3, we refer only to the water-soluble forms
§4 The invention is suitable as well for active ingredients not classified in the agrochemical field, as drugs or
medicines, living or death organisms in any physiological state including spores or pollen, such as
mycoplasmas, fungi, bacteria, virus, viroids, prions, yeasts, plants, or genetic material, cells, stem cells, cells for
xenotransplantation, aminoacids, nucleic acids. DNA, RNA, proteins, aminoacids, vaccines or compounds
directed for feeding purposes. There no specific feature in the present invention that prevents to be used for the
mentioned purposes, except of the temperature and the shear stresses needed in our process The skilled in the
art is able to determine case by case when the invention has no application, e.g., for microencapsulation of heat
sensitive cells or a protein that is both denaturalized and lose its biological activity at 40 "C. temperature that is
needed for the curing of the microcapsules.

The skilled can also determine when the chosen isocyanates or glycoluril compounds will result in degradation
of the bioactive ingredients and therefore this invention cannot be used. In any case this is to decide in a case-
by-case basis. There is an increasing need to formulate the abovementioned materials in the medical and
biotechnological and chemical field. Up to now, microencapsulation of such materials has been done by
completely different process, mainly by coacervation, because the inherent difficulty in obtaining reverse phase
microcapsules. We are not aware of any public document that approach the solution of this problem with our
microcapsules, lesser without our process, and the prior art, by avoiding systematically the in-situ true (namely
not sponge-type microcapsules) microencapsulation with wall forming materials in the water phase, teaches
away from our solution. The closest prior art regarding this claim could be WO 89/04170, but they do not yielo
spherical "true" microcapsules, rather an amorphous and unhomogeneous organic matrix wherein the viruses
ore bacterial spores are entrapped. Our experiments show that the reduced claimed size of the capsules 5-50
urn cannot obtained directly by an in-situ reaction where the wall entraps absolutely the water and water-
suspended materials (as happens in our invention), rather, by spray drying the matrix (sponge-type capsules)
Namely, only by spray drying such small size of the matrix-encapsulated materials can be reached (this is in
agreement with WO 89/04170, wherein only example 11 show the (mean) particle size after spray drying. On
the other hand, the wall forming material of that invention (Eudragit, polyacrylates, etc.) are far different from the
used in the present invention.
§5 The microcapsules so far described can be used in a dry or flowable form. A very easy way to perform this
embodiment is to microencapsulate in a highly volatile solvent (e.g., octane) and after encapsulation evaporate
the solvent by simple heating, preferably under vacuum. If this is to be performed it is convenient that- before the
evaporation step, the oil phase contains antiagglomerating agents, and those coformulants known by the skilled
in the art to facilitate flowable formulations (e.g., clays, aluminosilicates, etc.) available in any specialized book
Antother way to obtain dry microcapsules (free from solvent) is to perform a state of the art unitary operation of
filtration or centrifugation.
It is also possible that a further oil soluble compound, more specifically, an oil-soluble active ingredient, is in the
form of suspension in the oil phase. Then the drying step or the filtration (or ultrafiltration) step will render a
mixture of flowable microcapsules and oil soluble ingredient in solid form. To make this mixture usable, any state
of the art process for facilitating the flowability may be used. A particular embodiment included in this claim is the
formation of water dispersable granules starting from the solution of microcapsules. The known methods of
spray-drying of normal phase microcapsules may be used for this purpose. Must be noted that the prior art does
not describe at all either the need of agricultural water dispersable granules (problem not addressed) with
reverse phased moicrocapsules or the way how to obtain them It is clear that a controlled release of water
soluble agrochemicals has its advantages, the same as all already claimed for normal microencapsulation
It is inventive to obtain water dispersible granules from RPµ since the different situation of the oil and water
phase affect extremely how the coformulants to obtain the WDG must be selected (mainly oil-soluble in this

case). Surpressively we have found that the evaporation of a solvent instead of the traditional evaporation of
water does not affect the possible use of the microcapsules of claim 1 in the form of water dispersable granules
§6 The microcapsules of claim 1. although in principle they are obtained with an oil phase as external and
continuous phase, can be dryed and then redispersed again in a watery media (optionally with other hydrophyllic
solvents, e.g., ethanol for medical applications), with the aid of necessary surface active compounds. The
process to obtain this formulation would be, for example: 1) spray dry or evaporating the resulting
microcapsule's dispersion in oil according the claimed method 2) redisperse this microcapsules in a water media
with the necessary coformulants, at least with surface active compounds, This surface active compounds can
be, for example, a mixture of arabic gum, and soy lecithin at 15% in water, being the concentration ot
micrcapsules at 20 % (wt.-%).
A further dispersing agent is recommended, as the Dispersing Agent LFH and optionally also Atlox G-5000
Then we have water microencapsulated compound(s) dispersed in water, with the ecological advantages that
this kind of formulation have (in agriculture), or the other advantages in cosmetics or phaemaceuticals that are
directly consequence of avoiding any organic solvent in a formulation of the microcapsules according claim 1.
§7 This invention provides a solution to have the microcapsules surrounded by an external oil phase with the aid
of necessary surface active compounds. Even if the process described below provides an oil phase surrounding
(containing) the microcapsules it is possible to "substitute" this oil phase by another oil phase, by means of
filtering/drying -from solvent- the microcapsules and redispersing them in another solvent. This acquires its best
significant when, by needs of the process, the desired final formulation of microcapsules must have an oil phase
wherein the microencapsulation reaction cannot be carried out. For example, if we would like to have a liquid
amine derivative as organic unpolar solvent as a continuous phase in the final formulation, this could not be
directly obtained by the process described in this invention, due to the nature of the purposively selected wall
forming materials (the amine groups would react with the isocyanates immediately). Therefore it would be
needed this "two-step" change of continuous oil phase.
§8 The process proposed to arrive to the desired microcapsules containing a water phase and water soluble
and/or water dispersible compound(s) therein consist in the steps.
1) providing an aqueous phase containing at least one compound -active ingredient- to be
microencapsulated, preferably at least one water soluble or dispersable compound, preferably an
agrochemical, optionally at least a water soluble surface active ingredient, optionally water soluble
surfactant(s), antioxidants, UV-protectors, emetics, clays, and in the case that the active
ingtredient(s) is(are) to be totally or partially dispersed in water, a water dispersing agent
eventually milling it(them) in an aliquot of the water phase to disperse such active ingredient(s)
provided that if there is any solid a.i. in the water phase, the affinity for the water phase must be
higher than the affinity for the oil phase 2)

2) providing an oil phase containing at least an unpolar solvent substantially insoluble in water
preferably a naphtha solvent or aliphatic or aromatic petroleum distillate, vegetable or mineral oils
the wall forming materials selected from the group: glycoluril resins, preferably fully butoxylateo
glycoluril resin, aliphatic isocyanate resins, preferably of the chemical type Cymel® 3741, and
preferably combined with TMXDI; and at least oil soluble surface active ingredient(s) preferably
and a catalyst of the type dibutyltinlauralte an optionally a proton transfer catalyst (but necessarily if
no catalyst is added in step 3).
3) emulsifying the aqueous phase into the oil phase, at a temperature of 40 to 60"C this step initiates
the in situ polymerization reaction of the wall forming materials onto the water droplets, optionally
adding oil soluble catalyst when the polymerization reaction has already begun -preferably DBU or
any similar azapolycyclo catalyst-, about 5-30 minutes after the addition of the water phase to the
oil phase (but necessarily if no catalyst is added in step 2)
4) raising the temperature for the curing of the microcapsules to 60 - 100°C
5) Adding to the resulting dispersion of microcapsules in oil further coformulants soluble or dispersible
in oil suface active coformulants, optionally clays, aluminosilicates, viscosity modifiers, antioxidants
UV-protectors, wetting agents, perfumes, emetics; optionally this addition is made dissolving
previously these coformulants into the same unpolar solvent(s)
It is meant that it can be microencapsulated one or several compounds. When referred to "compounds' we refer
to the a.i. of the microencapsulated formulation.
It is excluded from the scope of the invention such combination of a.i., coformulants. solvents, wall forming
materials that are chemically incompatible. This is easy to know by the skilled chemist based on the chemical
characteristics of the compounds, and in the case of doubt a simple error and trial step will ciarify if the invention
may be applied for a determined combination of a.i. and coformulants
In the claim that reflects this process, the active ingredient(s) [a.i] is(are) meant to be inside the microcapsules
In the step 1) it is contemplated the possibility that:
a) the a.i. is fully water soluble at the concentration used
b) the a.i. is water soluble, but the concentration in the water phase is over the solubility limit then part
of the a.i. would be precipitated
c) the a.i. in insoluble in water
In the cases b) and c), in order that the invention is workable, such a.i. must be able to be dispersed in the water
phase. For that, the common catalogs of dispersing agents' distributors provide enough information to choose
the right dispersant for each a i. It is also possible to perform a milling step in water containing the a.i until
reaching a determined particle size, preferable below 100 urn, this pre-step being done preferably with the aid of
a dispersant chosen according common knowledge for the formulation chemist.

In order that during the emulsification step the solid particles are not "expelled out" of the water phase it is
needed that the a.i. is at the same time insoluble in the oil phase chosen for step 2), or at least and more
importantly, that the affinity for such oil phase is lower to that of the water phase Obvioisly. the skilled in the art
will chose the right oil phase in which such solid particles are not soluble in it. This information is customarily
provided in the material data sheets of the a.i., or in general information on the product or catalogs or in the
Pesticide Manual (BCPC, ISBN 1-901396-34-7), Merck Index, etc. In such documents it can be seen in which
solvents the a.i. is insoluble. It is not to expect that the coformulants would provoke a drastic change on the
solubility of the chosen a.i. that would deviate from the information provided in such catalogs/publications In the
few cases that is needed, a trial and error test of partitioning a small quantity of the a.i. in between the two
phases (e.g. in a separatory funnel of 250 mL), and then visualizing where the solid particles tend to be or its
dissolution behavior under shaking. For extremely accurate results, a usual GC or HPLC chromatographic
analysis of each phase would be sufficient to quantify the solubility.
There are hundreds of possible coformulants for the water phase that may be used according our invention. The
selection of them is, however, obvious. A UV-labile water soluble compound would need the presence of a UV
protector, always choosing as first choice those coformulants that are water soluble. An easily oxidabie
pharmaceutical a.i. would need (maybe) the presence of an antioxidant, e.g., ascorbic acid. A formulation
containing microbiologically degradable compounds may need the presence of a water soluble microbiological
agent (e.g. nipagin, nipasol). An a.i. that is highly toxic may be convenient to be microencapsulated with an
emetic (e.g., in the case of diquat or paraquat would be reasonable to use an emetic).
The oil phase of 2) comprises substantially (generally >50% in wt.-%) an unpolar solvent, it is said, immiscible
with water. The selection of the oil phase is generally done in the view of:
- approved solvents for each purpose (e.g., for agricultural formulations, the unpolar solvent must be
selected from the corresponding list of approved solvents for agrochemicals; for pharmaceutical
formulations, those solvents approved respectively, etc).
- the solubility of the a.i. to be microencapsulated, and eventually secondary a.i. in the water phase (e.g.
synergistical raticide) (e.g., the a.i. must be not soluble of very low soluble in the unpolar sovent chosen,
normally with a solubility lower than that in water)
- the suitability for the microencapsulation step (e.g., not reactive with isocyanates or glycoluril resins)
- the solubility of a oil soluble a.i. that is pretended to be placed in the oil phase, to form a formulation with
a.i. both in the microencapsulated water phase and in the oil phase (same criteria of selection as
mentiones above applies, namely, catalogs, handbooks, MSDSs, etc)
We will refer for common sources of information for the selection of the appropriate unpolar solvent: e.g.. lists of
approved unpolar (organic) solvents for agriculture in the case of the application of the invention in this area

Features in this claim 8 referring to the wall forming materials have been already being discussed above. We
insist in that the application of glycoluril resins for formation of microcapsules in reverse phase have never been
disclosed, also has not beed disclosed the purposive selection of TMXDI in the field of RPµ While this
compound is very well known in NPµ, no application of it in the RPµ has been reported or at least the better
results obtained with it in the RPµ over other isocyanates. Worthy to note the abovementioned general
knowledge book in what it is stated that the wall forming materials for RPµ must be in the water phase, being our
solution then against the prior art beliefs.
The step 3) consists in the emulsification, with the novel and surpresive feature that, in the best form to
reproduce the invention, we use both a non-nitrogenated proton transfer catalyst and a polycyclo-polyaza
catalyst that is added in watery solution but -distinctive feature- only after the emulsification and polymerization
reaction has begun. This avoids any side reaction in the water phase prior to the reaction itself Prior art shows
always that the catalyst is present in the water phase as part of it, and it is nowhere suggested that the addition
of the water-soluble catalysts can be done on the reactor itself. Moreover, we show how this cycloaza catalysts
are very appropriate for RPµ. It is absolutely not direct the conclusion that if this catalyst type works for NPµ. it
will work in RPµ, lesser adding it when we do it.
Once the microcapsules are formed -step 4)-, the curing (hardening and fixation of the wall) is performed by
raising the temperature. For those a.i. thermally label is preferably a longer curing period (e.g. at 45-55 o:C
during several hours (e.g., 6 h) than a preferred temperature of 70 °C for 1 h.
The step 5) is an optional step to accomplish a "ready to use" formulation right on the reactor where the
microencapsulation has taken place. The quantity and type of coformulants to add will depend strongly on the
final use of the formulation, and the area of use (cosmetic, agricultural, nutraceutical, etc). The same common
sense and sources of information for the choice of coformulants mentioned above for the water phase applies
here. As far as preferably the coformulants added at this step are oil soluble, it is sometimes better to take a
certain amount of the unpolar solvent used in 2). then mix the coformulants in a fast way by high shear stress,
and then add this portion to the total (this way we do not destroy microcapsules in the mixing of coformulants) If
time is not limiting, the coformulants may be added just by gently anchor stirring (e.g., 10-40 rpm).
Coformulants that, are surface-active compounds appropriate for our invention can be selected from the
following:
Dispersing agents
Tristyrylphenol ethoxylate, TEA of phosphated tristyrylphenol ethoxylate. EO/PO block copolymers, phosphated.
sodium fatty acid methyl tauride, sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, sodium condensed naphthalene sulfonate,
polymerisation product of PO/EO, sodium salt of a cresolformaldehyde condensation product of a sodium salt
- Wetting agents

isotridecyl alcohol ethoxylate, sodium alkyl naphthalene sulphonate, sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium fatty acid
methyl tauride, sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate
- Defoamers
Silicone based defoamers, fluorinated defoamers
Regarding the availability of the coformulants, we present a selected list of commercial products (Uniquema, ICI)
able to be used in particular embodiments of the present invention:
Atplus 124 alcohol alcoxylate blend
Atplus LSA9103 alcoxylated linear synthetic alcohol
Atplus261 athoxylated alcohol blend
Lubrol 17A17 POE-( 17)-oleyl alcohol
Synperonic 91/8 POE-(8)-synthetic primary C9/C11 alcohol
Synperonic A2 POE-(2)-synthetic primary C13/C15 alcohol
Atplus 121 alkylaryl sulphonate in solvent
Atplus 469 alkyl polysaccharide blend
Atplus APS b9101 branched alkyl polysaccharide
Atplus 505 fatty amine ethoxylate
Atlas G-3780A POE-(20)-fatty amine ethoxylate
Synprolam 35X15 POE-(15)-C13-C15 synthetic amine
Atlox 3300B isopropyl alkylaryl asulphonate
Atlox 4838B calcium alkylaryl sulphonate in ethyl hexanol
Atlox 5405B mixture of anionic and nonionic surfactants
Synperonic T/304 alcoxylated ethylene diamine (Mw 1650)
Tween 20 POE-(20)-sorbitan monolaurate
Tween 85 POE-(20)-sorbitan trioleate
Atlas G-1087 POE sorbitol Oleate
SCS 2662 methyloleate/surfactant (83/17)
SCS 2941 methylated rapeseed oil/ surfactant (83/17
Atplus 411F mineral oil / surfactant
Atplus MBA 1303 mono branched fatty alcohol alcoxylate
Atplus MBA 13/10 POE (10) monobranched fatty alcohol
Atlox 4914 modified polyester
Atlox 4885 sorbitan trioleate
Atplus UCL 1003 Atplus 13/15 on urea
SCS 6076 MBA vegetable oil/ surfactant (83/17)
Atlox 3387BM mixture of anionic and nonanionic surfactants

Atlox 3400B mixture of anionic and nonanionic surfactants
Atlox 3404FB calcium alkylaryl sulfphonate, nonionics blend
Atlox 4852B alkyl aryl sulphonate with POE ether (contains NPE)
Synperonic PE/F108 Ethoxylated polypropylene oxide (Mw 14000)
Atlox 1285 POE-(54)-castor oil
Atlox CSO 5650 POE castor oil
Atlas G-1300 POE-(200)-castor oil
Sunaptol CA350 POE-(35)-castor oil
Ukanil 2507 POE-(32)-castor oil
Atlox 8916TF POE-sorbtan esters of mixed fatty and resin acids
Tween 80 POE-(20)-sorbitan monooleate
Atlox 1045A POE sorbitol oleate laurate
Atlas G-1049 POE sorbitol septaisostearate
Arlatone T POE-(40)-sorbitol septaoleate
Atlace 186 glycerol mono and dioleate and propylene glycol
Atlox 4848 POE alkyl (C12/C13) methyl ether
Atlox 4849 POE nonyl phenol methyl ether
Atlox MBA 1306 mono branched fatty alcohol alcoxylate
Atlox MBA 13/8 POE-(8)-monobranched fatty alcohol
PEG 200 polyethylene
Atlox 4912 nonionic block copolymer
Atlox 4913 acrylic copolymer solution
Atlox LP1 Polymeric disperant
Atlox LP6 Polymeric disperant in high boiling petroleum fraction
Hypermer B261 nonionic block copolymer
SCS 4447 branched carboxylic copolymer partial ester
SCS 4477 polymeric disperant (previous trademark: Atlox LP5)
Span 80 sorbitan monooleate
Atplus 300F sorbitan ester blend (contains NPE)
Atplus 309F sorbitan ester blend (NPE free version of Atplus 300F)
The glycolurils of first choice as wall forming materials are (CYTEC lnd.)
Highly alkylated butylated Glycolurils (Cymel 1170)
Highly alkylated Mixed alcohols Glycolurils (Cymel 1171)
Highly alkylated methylated Glycolurils (Powderlink 1174)
Unalkylated Glycolurils (Cymel 1172)

Particulary interesting additives for glyphosate, sulfosate or glufosinate formulations are Atplus 258, Altplus 411
F, Atlox 70145, SCS 2397, regarding their biological activity.
Note that the relevance of the list is to achieve a perfect agriculturally functional formulation The long
list is not provided to confuse the skilled in the art, since the microcapsules either the process are affected
significantly by the use of one or other coformulant: what is affected is the final performance in the field. As it
would be unrealistic to provide the perfect formulation for each type of formulation containing RPµ and for each
active ingredient where our invention may be applied, we provide for the purposes of clarity and enabling the
invention a limited but comprehensive list of workable coformulants.
Although the present invention offers various possibilities regarding the solvents to use for the oil phase,
these does not represent problem of selection, since the specialized scientific papers or even, worldwide
reference handbooks describe the solubility of a.i. in different solvents, thus offering a fast answer to the
question (if not immediate, pointing out to the solution) of which is the most appropriate solvent for the oil phase
§9 In the mentioned process may exist compounds or surfactants dispersed in the water, provided that they
have no affinity to the determined oil phase chosen in step 2) of claim 8, namely, substantially insoluble in the oil
phase.
§10-§14 Support for claim 10-14 have been elsewhere in the description already been given
§15 A more restricted process is a process for producing a formulated composition containing microcapsules
that encapsulate at least a water soluble or water dispersible biologically active compound within a wall made of
the reaction of a least a glycoluril resin and an isocyanate resin, and optionally TMXDI, which process
comprises.
1) providing an aqueous phase containing at least on compound to be microencapsulated, preferably
at least one water soluble agrochemical. optionally at least a water soluble surface active ingredient
2) providing an oil phase containing at least an unpolar solvent substantially insoluble in water the wall
forming materials selected from the group: glycoluril resins, preferably fully butoxylated glycoluril
resin, aliphatic isocyanate resins, preferably of the chemical type Cymelw 3741, and preferably
combined with TMXDI; and at least oil soluble surface active ingredient(s), preferably of the type LP-
6 and/or Atlox® 4914 and optionally a non-nitrogenated proton transfer catalyst (but necessarily if
no catalyst is added in step 3).
3) emulsifying the aqueous phase into the oil phase, at a temperature of 40 to 60o C this step initiates
the in situ polymerization reaction of the wall forming materials onto the water droplets, optionally
adding an oil soluble aza catalyst of the type DBU when the polymerization reaction has already
begun, about 5-30 minutes after the addition of the water phase to the oil phase (but necessarily if
no catalyst is added in step 2)
4) raising the temperature for the curing of the microcapsules to 60 - 100°C

Adding the necessary coformulants to form a functionally acceptable agricultural formulation preferably at least
two surface active materials, optionally at least an alumiosilicate-based material or material providing the same
functionality of it, and all these coformulants optionally being in organic unpolar solvent(s), most preferably the
same unpolar solvent(s) present in the oil phase of step 2).
§17 Preferred sulfonylureas to be included in any oil phase where the RPµ are present, are: Amidosulfuron.
Bensulfuron-methyl, Chlorimuron, Chlorsulfuron, Cinosulfuron, Cyclosulfamuron, Ethametsulfuron-methyl.
Ethoxysulfuron, Flazasulfuron, Flupyrsulfuron-methyl, Foramsulfuron, Halosulfuron-methyl Imazosulfuron
lodosulfuron-methyl, Mesosulfuron Metsulfuron-methyl, Nicosulfuron, Oxasulfuron, Primisulfuron-methyl,
Prosulfuron, Pyrazosulfuron-methyl, Rimsulfuron, Sulfosulfuron, Thifensulfuron-methyl, Triasulfuron. Tribenuron-
methyl, Trifloxysulfuron, Triflusulfuron-methyl, Tritosulfuron, noting that any derivative of these molecules is aiso
included in this claim, optionally alkyl derivatives, dealkylated deivatives and/or salts thereof. This referes to the
typical variations: thifensulfuron-ethylthifensulfuron, etc. When the sulfonylureas are in a salt form and the
solubility in the desired oil solvent is not enough to reach a biological effect in the field, then it is preferred that
such sulfonylurea derivative is added in the water phase and microencapsulated in RPµ.
§18 The process of mixing a SC with a CS of RPµ is explained in the Example 7. We also claim a formulated
agrochemical composition according claim 8 or 15 wherein, apart from a water soluble or water dispersible
microencapsulated agrochemical, it is present at least a water soluble compound or oil-soluble compound
dispersed into the oil phase, preferably by milling such compound(s) in a separated aliquot of the oil phase -but
containing no microcapsules- and then mixing the milled compound(s) together with this aliquot to the
microencapsulated fraction
§19-20 Formulated agrochemical compositions of the type CS, CX, WDG, ZC, CS-EC, OD (oil dispersion)
according the invention may have at least a water solube microencapsulated agrochemical selected from the
group: glyphosate, glufosinate, glufosinate, paraquat, diquat, chlormequat, 2,4-D, -both in any form, preferably
in salt form- an the oil phase contains diflufenican or at least an aryoxyphenoxypropionate preferably
Quizalofop-P-ethyl or propaquizafop-ethyl or fenoxaprop-P-ethyl. Also formulations of sulfonylureas in the
claimed types [CS, CX, WDG, ZC, CS-EC, OD] are particularly preferred, in so far RPµ are present, and of this
nicosulfuron is of great interest and proven to be at least 20% times more stable to hydrolysis than current
commercial formulations, when embodied in a CX being microencapsulated in NPµ and combined with
sulfosate.
§21 "Quat" herbicides, preferably chosen from chloride or bromide- paraquat, diquat, chlormequat. are object of
this invention, in so far microencapsulation offers a solution to its high toxicity, combined with an oil phase
contains a sulfonylurea o sulfonamide herbicide.

§22 Glufosinate and lactofen is a very effective combination proven to act synergistically in our greenhouse tests
(results not shown).
§23 A formulated agrochemical composition of the type water dispersable granules containing microcapsules
according claim 1 or 2 is of high interest, since this solid flowable compositions are very preferred by the farmers
and reduce transport costs of solvents. A picture of this type of formulation is shown in Figure 3
§24 A formulated agrochemical composition of the type ZC (suspension concentrate plus capsule suspension)
containing microcapsules according claim 1 or 2 is shown in Figure 4.
§25 A formulated agrochemical composition consisting of a combination of an emulsion concentrate plus
capsule suspension, containing microcapsules according claim 1 or 2 is one of the preferred embodiments for its
easiness of preparation with very interchangeable Adjustment Mixtures (see Example 1).
§26-35 This invention provides for the first time an enabling disclosure of agrochemical formulations
characterized in that they contain.
a) Reverse phase microcapsules containing a watery core wherein at least water soluble active
ingredient is present
b) Normal phase microcapsules containing a oily core wherein at least an oily soluble active
ingredient is present
Is described herein for the first time. Since the object of this invention is to find new ways to use in agriculture
water-soluble agrochemicals, we do not restrict the claim to the RPµ explicitly shown in claim 1 or in process 8.
Rather, this revolutionary type of formulation may be used with any kind of RPµ -present or future- in so far the
size and performance is acceptable. Of course, as preferred embodiment of this formulation is that where our
RPµ are used, and also where the NPµ wall is created as in Example 5, with mixed polyurea-glycoluril wall
Formulations of mixed microcapules are those having as continuous phase water oil, WDG. SC-RPµ-NPµ, EC-
RPµ-NPµ, RPµ-NPµ in the form of oil dispersion -wherein in the oil dispersion is present a further active
ingredient-, or equally, as emulsion concentrate where in the oil it is present a further active ingredient.
§35 The mixed NPµ+RPµ are specially suitable for combining different classes of agrochemicals, namely, the
a.i. are combined to have different biological effects, preferably the combination of: fungicides + herbicides
fungicides + insecticides, insecticides + herbicides, insecticides + plant growth regulators, insecticides +
semiochemicals, provided that in the case of existing the two different microcapsules according claim 26 a) and
b), each type of microcapsule contains a biologically active different material (in the sense of the target living
organisms to control).
Particular embodiments of the present invention are:

reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium dispersed in an oil or water phase,
reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium trimesium dispersed in an oil or water
phase: reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate ammonium dispersed in an oil or water phase
reverse phase microcapsules containing sulphosate ammonium dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse
phase microcapsules containing glufosinate ammonium dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase
microcapsules containing 2,4-D dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase microcapsules containing
MCPP-sodium dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase microcapsules containing MCPA-sodium
dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase microcapsules containing diquat bromide (or bromide)
dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase microcapsules containing paraquat chloride (or bromide)
dispersed in an oil or water phase; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil
phase containing nicosulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying
of such oil dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase
containing thifensulfuron-methyl; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray
drying of such oil dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase
containing metsulfuron-methyl; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying
of such oil dispersion: reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase
containing rimsulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such
oil dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
tribenuron-methyl; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
foramsulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
iodosulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such on
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
chlorsulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
chlorimuron or mesosulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying
of such oil dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase
containing triflusulfuron; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of
such oil dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
quizalofop-P-ethyl; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
propaquizafop-ethyl; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate combined with an oil phase containing
fenoxaprop; both as oil dispersion or as water dispersable granules (WDG) after spray drying of such oil
dispersion; reverse phase microcapsules containing glufosinate and/or sulfosate combined with an oil phase
containing nicosulfuron; reverse phase microcapsules containing glufosinate and/or sulfosate combined with an
oil phase containing thifensulfuron-methyl; reverse phase microcapsules containing glufosinate and/or sulfosate

combined with an oil phase containing metsulfuron-methyl; reverse phase microcapsules containing glufosinate
and/or sulfosate combined with an oil phase containing rimsulfuron; reverse phase microcapsules containing
glufosinate and/or sulfosate combined with an oil phase containing tribenuron-methyl; reverse phase
microcapsules containing glufosinate and/or sulfosate combined with an oil phase containing triflusulfuron
reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium combined with an oil phase containing
diflufenican; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium (or glufosinate ammonium
or sulfosate ammonium), combined with an oil phase containing lactofen; reverse phase microcapsules
containing glyphosate isopropylammonium (or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium) combined with
an oil phase containing flufenacet; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium (or
glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium) combined with an oil phase containing fluroxypyr-meptyl:
reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate
ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing isoxaflutole; reverse phase microcapsules containing
glyphosate isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phases
containing deltamethrin (for control of weeds and insects); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
lambda-cyhalothrin (for control of weeds and insects); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
alfa-cypermethrin (for control of weeds and insects); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
gamma-cyhalothrin (for control of weeds and insects); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
imidacloprid (for control of weeds and insects): reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
spirodiclofen (for control of weeds and mites); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
tebuconazole (for control of weeds and fungi); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
fosetyl-AI (for control of weeds and fungi); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium or glufosinate ammonium or sulfosate ammonium, combined with an oil phase containing
trifloxystrobin (for control of weeds and fungi); reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
isopropylammonium combined with normal phase microcapsules (either in oil or water continuous phase)
containing tribenuron-methyl; reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium
combined with normal phase microcapsules (either in oil or water continuous phase) containing triadimeno;
reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate isopropylammonium combined with normal phase
microcapsules (either in oil or water continuous phase) containing clomazone; reverse phase microcapsules
containing glufosinate ammonium combined with normal phase microcapsules (either in oil or water continuous
phase) containing flurochloridone; mixtures of reverse phase microcapsules containing glyphosate
gluphosinate, sulfosate, paraquat, diquat, chlormequat or 2,4-D and normal phase microcapsules containing

sulfonylureas, "fop" herbicides -e.g., Quizalofop-P-ethyl, fenoxaprop, propaquizafop- clomazone, triazol
fungicides -e.g., propiconazole, tebuconazole, triadimenol-, pyrethroids, flurochloridone, lactofen. diflufenican
flufenacet, azoxystrobins, spinosad, trimedlure, benzoylureas -e.g., hexaflumuron. novaluron, triflumuron
lufenuron-, juvenile hormones, chitin synthesis inhibitors -e.g. ciromazine-, semiochemicals, Metazachlor.
butachlor, alachlor, organophosphates phosphtionates, chlorinated or fluorinated persistent insecticides -eg
DDT, 666-;
all in a concentration (both in the formulation itself and in the spray tank) that yields the recommended values of
a.i. per Hectare when applied in the field, preferably at the same concentrations as the ones used in state of the
art non-microencapsulated or microencapsulated commercial products containing such a.i.
The reader will immediately recognize that the change of a certain salt form of the water soluble a.i. is irrelevant
e.g., the use of glyphosate isopropylammonium can be easily replaced by glyphosate ammonium, or any other
salt or organic derivative -in so far the solubility properties are not tremendously changed.-e.g., for a maximum
solubility of 40% in water a change to a solubility of 1%- and the concentration adjusted to match the same
content in free glyphosate acid form. This also applies similarly to other oil soluble a.i., e.g Quizalofop-P-ethyl
can be easily replaced by Quizalofop-ethyl (a racemic mixture), metsulfuron-methyl can be replaced by
metsulfuron, propaquizafop-ethyl can be replaced by propaquizafop, as so on. There is nothing in this invention
that prevents such elementary changes.
All this formulations have been realized, although for reasons of simplicity, only the complete details of
the formulation of some of them are disclosed. However, with the examples provided, all formulations mentioned
are implicitly disclosed in a fully enabling disclosure, since the only that the skilled in the art needs to do is just to
replace the content in active ingredient from one to another.
The following examples show how the invention is easily embodied with surprising results regarding the
easiness of the process and the stability and performance achieved by the claimed formulations
In all examples, and also everywhere in this document, the percentages are referred to weight percent
Figure 1 shows the distribution of particle size of the formulation capsule suspension of oxytetracycline
hydrochloride in RPµ and milled tebuconazole. Figure 2 shows the typical viscosity diagram of a formulation of
diflufenican and RPµ glyphosate. Figure 3 shows water dispersable granules of RPµ. Figure 4 shows
microcapsules of a CX formulation (RPµ+NPµ formulation).

EXAMPLE 1
A capsule suspension formulation of the water soluble herbicide glyphosate in its isopropylamine salt form (in
short, G-IPA), was performed as follows (later also, a mixed formulation with the water-insoluble herbicide
diflufenican).
A water phase containing the G-IPA and an oil phase were made, and warmed at 50 'C, in separate vessels
according to:
Components
Parts
Water Phase
G-IPA solution in water at 60% 53
Oil Phase
TMXDI 5
Cythane®3174 0.5
Cymel®1170 0.1
Atlox®4914 3
Atlox® LP-6 3
Solvesso®200 34.1
Dibutyltinlaureate in gamma- 1
butyrolactone solution (1%)
2) The water phase is transferred (poured) slowly but continuously to the oil phase during 1 minute into the
oil phase, under continuous agitation with an Ultraturrax L4 mixer for 10 minutes.
3) Before the conclusion of the 10 minute period mentioned above, and after finalization of the addition of
the water phase to the oil phase, a solution in Solvesso 200 (at 10%) of {1,8-}Diazabicyclo[5 4 0]undec
7-ene [in short, DBU] is added to the emulsified solution -0.15% over total percentage- (preferably 1
minute after emulsification begins, namely, after total addition of the water phase)
4) After the period of 10 minutes, the reactor vessel is left at 60°C and with gentle agitation (with an anchor
type stirrer at 25 rpm) for a period of 2 hours (curing of microcapsules). After this period of curing, we
have a Concentrated Glyphosate CS formulation [in short, C.G.-CS]. At this time we obtain
microcapsules with a median size of 1.8 µm. Oil Phase
5) At this point we can choose to have a Glyphosate CS 250 g/L formulation [point 5.1)] or we can combine
the microcapsules with an oil phase containing another active ingredient [point 5.2)] in the form of
Emulsion Concentrate (EC) like a Mixed formulation Glyphosate 200 g/L CS and diflufenican 80 g/L EC.

5.1) Although at this moment, after the curing, the formulation is perfectly microencapsulated and stable for the
purposes of using the formulation as a ready to use agrochemical formulation, an Adjustment Mixture A [in
short, A.F.-A] is added to the capsule suspension resulting from point 4) [the C G.-CS] in a ratio A.F.-A
C.G.-CS of 20/80.
Components
Parts (making up to 20%;
Adjustment Mixture A
Atlox® G-5000 0.13
Dispersing Agent LFH 10.00
Atlox MBA 13/8 3.50
Attagel 50 (solution at 20% in Solvesso® 200) 2.00
Solvesso®200 4.37
After the mixing of A.F.-A with the C.G.-CS we have a ready to use Capsule Suspension of Glyphosate at 250
g/L.
The physicochemical characteristics show, for the final product, that the median particle size, determined by a
laser Mastersizer equipment, is of 9.5 urn, with a viscosity nu at tau10 of 248.0 cP and a yield stress of tauO -
2.47 Pa at gamma=0, with a density of 1.1242 g/L, and with a conductance of 0.001 S (meaning that the water
phase has effectively retained inside the microcapsules).
5.2) Alternatively the C.G.-CS may be mixed with the following Adjustment Mixture B [A.F.-B] {instead of
using the A.F.-A}, in order to obtain a synergistic herbicidal mixture containing glyphosate CS and diflufenican
EC (emulsion concentrate):
Components
Parts
Adjustment Mixture B
Atlox® G-5000 0.13
Dispersing Agent LFH 10.00
Atlox MBA 13/8 3.50
Attagel 50 (solution at 20%) 2.00
Solvesso® 200 13.20
Diflufenican 8.06
After the mixing of A.F.-B with the C.G.-CS at a ratio 37 . 63 we have a ready to use Capsule Suspension of
Glyphosate at 200 g/L and Emulsion Concentrate of diflufenican at 80 g/L.
The physicochemical characteristics show, for the final product, that the median particle size, determined by a
laser Mastersizer equipment, is of 14.3 urn, with a viscosity nu at tau10 of 40.9 cP and a yield stress of tauO -

1.38 Pa at gamma=0, with a density of 1.0971 g/L, and with a conductance below the limits of detection
(meaning that the water phase has been effectively retained inside the microcapsules).
Storage Stability Tests.
Both formulations were submitted to accelerated heat stability tests (at 54"C for 2 weeks). None of the two
formulations showed any water release from the microcapsules, either water/oil separation or emulsion.
Microscopic observation of the microcapsules showed a complete integrity. Also, presence of unencapsulated
material -water soluble a.i.- was below 0.1%.
The chemical degradation of glyphosate and diflufenican was not statistically significant (fresh samples of both
formulations 5.1) and 5.2) compared with aged samples did not presented differences in the Student's t-test.
either with pure analytical standard solutions at the same concentration of the a.i.) These tests were performed
with HPLC and standard methods of analysis under Good Laboratory Practice conditions.
EXAMPLE 2
RPµ High loaded formulation of glyphosate ammonium + EC halosulfuron
A high loaded formulation (E2.1) of glyphosate ammonium together with the sulfonylurea herbicide halosulfuron.
was prepared according the present invention, and compared with other two prior art methods of
microencapsulation.
The composition is identical to Example 1 but replacing:
-in the water phase: glyphosate isopropylammonium by glyphosate ammonium, and increasing its content to 65
parts (the rest oil phase remaining with the original parts).
-in the oil phase: the content of diflufenican wholly by halosulfuron
and that the ratio A.F.-A / C.G.-CS instead of being 22.5 / 77.5 is now 10/90.
The formulation showed perfectly stable microcapsules (mean diameter = 1.5 µrn) at 54"C for two weeks, with
0.05% degradation of glyphosate and 5.12% degradation of halosulfuron. The halosulfuron oil concentrate
(E2.2) showed a degradation of 4.82%, meaning that no increased degradation of halosulfuron was due to the
process or the mixed formulation.
EXAMPLE 3
RPµ + EC mixed formulation of 2,4-0 sodium and lactofen
A formulation (E3.1) of RPµ of 2,4-D sodium plus lactofen (E3.2) was made, to yield an emulsifiable concentrate
containing microcapsules of 2,4-D sodium and solubilized lactofen.
The composition followed that explained in Example 1, where the glyphosate was substituted by 2:4-D (20% in
water) and the diflufenican was substituted by lactofen (E3.3).
An Adjustment Mixture AM-EC, in order to create an emulsion concentrate of the formed 2.4-D+lactofen
formulation was used, consisting in castor oil 20 mols ethoxylated : calcium dodecylbenzenesulfonate emulsifier
(Calsogen CA): Genapol LA at the ratio 50 : 10 : 40. This AM-EC was added (200 g) to the E3.3
This CS-EC formulation (E3.4) was emulsified in water at a concentration of 5% of the formulation, showing no
oil and cream separation at time 30 minutes, and 1 ml cream at 2 hours.

EXAMPLE 4
WDG-RPµ microcapsules of sulfosate ammonium
A formulation according Example E1.1, using sulfosate ammonium (20% in water) as a.i instead of glyphosate
was made. At the end of the microencapsulation, a 10% (with respect total weight of formed E1.1) of sodium
dioctylsulfosuccinate wetter was added and also 1% of sodium cresolformaldehyde condendation dispersant.
To this amount, an Adjustemt Mixture AM-DRPµ for allowing the spray dry process was used, consisting in 48%
of cyclodextrin, 2% of Arbocel™, 25% CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) and 25% dextrin. 30% over the 1000 g
(300 g) of this mixture was added directly to the spray chamber, in order the oil is adsorbed in such material
The addition of further AM-DRPµ was done as needed (in this process only one batch was made, and no further
addition of adsorbing materials was needed, however, at industrial scale, the retirement of already flowable
microcapsules may need further additions of AM-DRPµ, in the conventional way for the skilled in spray drying
technicial would do for similar processes). After spray drying at a product temperature of 50 "C, it was obtained
a flowable powder of dispersable microcapsules of sulfosate ammonium (water fispersable granules) The wet
sieving residue calculated with a sieve of 250 urn was 0.85 %, having a dispersibility of 85% and a suspensibility
of 92%.
EXAMPLE 5
CS2 (mixed formulation RPµ and NPµ) of flurochloridone and acifluorfen-sodium
A formulation of NPµ (E5.1) flurochloridone was made according the following formula:
In parts
Organic Phase:
Flurochloridone (50%) in Solvesso™ 150 500
Benzene, 1,3-Bis(1-isocyanate-1-methylethyl)- diisocyanate (TMXDI) 10
Diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (PMDI) 18
Dibutyltin laurate 0.03
Tetraethoxymetyl acetylene carbamide 4
Gamma-butyrolactone 3
Water Phase:
Water (added independently from the other solutions) 232
10 % water solution of xanthan gum 20
20 % water solution of PVP-30 10
35 % water solution of Arabic gum 50
LignoGAT™ 40
Antimussol™ 4459 0.25
Citric Acid 0.14
Reax™ 85A 0.25
Being the composition of LignoGAT™:


A formulated RPµ (E5.2) of acifluorfen sodium was performed as in Example 1, substituting the glyphosate
ammonium at 60 % in water by acifluorfen sodium at 44% in water
Now, in the step of mixing both types of formulations, it must be taken into account:
The addition to the water phase of the E5.2 of the oil phase of the finished E5.1, needs the presence of
an emulsifier with HLB 7-14, preferably 9-10, or at least, that the total HLB of the emulsifiers would
equate a value of 9-10. This is done in this example adding a castor oil ethoxylathe 64 mols to the water
phase of E5.2, in a 10% over total weight of E5.2.
The emulsification is preferably made oil in water, namely the RPµ added to the NPµ A ratio of RPµ to
NPµ of 40 to 60 is used in this example. Emulsification is done adding the RPµ as obtained in E5.2 to
the E5.1 plus the mentioned surfactant with high HLB (over 7), under continuous agitation with anchor
type stirrer (at about 100-1000 rpm) -this requiring that the configuration of the stirrer and the speed do
not damage the microcapsules-.
This way we have obtained the RPµ + NPµ, but to avoid storage stability problems, it is recommended
the addition of some viscosity modifiers to the water phase. In this example we use a mixture of Keltrol
and Pangel at 1:1, in a total amount of 3% over total weight up to the moment of that viscosity modifier
addition.
Finally, we have obtained, for the first time a CX-w formulation (combined capsule suspension of RPµ and NPµ
wherein we have acifluorfen sodium microencapsulated in a core of water and flurochloridone
microencapsulated in a core of oil, and both types of microcapsules having a continuous phase of water
surrounding them.
The mean size of the combined microcapsules was measured with a laser Mastersizer™, with a result of 2.9 µrn
and a percentile 90 of 5.3 µrn. This represents an enormous degree of homogeneicity. and moreover a very
small size over the prior art RPµ. Emulsification properties were tested according FAO specifications showing no
oil separation at 30 minutes and after 2 hours, and full reemulsification was shown after 24 hours. The
formulation did not presented any phase separation after 2 weeks at 40 °C.
No detection of degradaded of any of the a.i. was possible (below limits of detection / analytical error)
Unencapsulated material was below 0.5% for the acifluorfen sodium and below 0.01% for flurochloridone.
In Figure 4 a microphotograph is shown with the resulting final formulation. The RPµ are slightly bigger and they
can be differentiated from the NPµ in that the former have a reddish core and the NPµ have a greenish solid
color

It can be appreciated that the wall forming materials for the NPµ and the RPµ are chemically of the same nature
(glycolurils+isocyanates) a surprising result that facilitates the logistic and handling operations in the formulation
plant.
FURTHER PROCESSING
The resulting formulation of the CX-w was processed in order to obtain WDG of mixed microcapsules
To 1 kg of the resulting CX-w, an Adjustemt Mixture AM-DRPµ for allowing the spray dry process was used,
consisting in 50% of cyclodextrins, 25% sepiolite and 25% CMC (carboxymethylcellulose), 30% over the 1000 g
(300 g) of this mixture was added directly to the spray chamber, in order the oil is adsorbed in such matenai.
The addition of further AM-DRPµ was done as needed (in this process only one batch was made, and no further
addition of adsorbing materials was needed, however, at industrial scale, the retirement of already flowable
microcapsules may need further additions of AM-DRPµ, in the conventional way for the skilled in spray drying
technicial would do for similar processes). After spray drying at a product temperature of 63 CC, it was obtained
a flowable powder of dispersable microcapsules, namely WDG of CX microcapsules.
EXAMPLE 6
CX formulation (mixed NPµ and RPµ) of ioxynil sodium and metsulfuron-methyl.
Microcapsules of the type RPµ were done (E6.1) according the following formula and process as in Example 1
E61 Parts
Water Phase
Ioxynil sodium solution in methylcellosolve at 60% 15
water 20
Oil Phase
TDI 1.5
Cymel®1172 0.9
Atlox®4914 3
Atlox® LP-1 3
Solvesso®200 41.4
Dibutyltinoleate in gamma-butyrolactone solution (1%) 1
Microcapsules of the type NPµ were done according those in Example 5, but substituting the flurochlondone bv
metsulfuron-methyl.
To the difference of Example 6, here it is added the NPµ to the RPµ. For this we need to proceed as above
while inverting the need of the HLB of the surfactant, this time in the range 1-6, preferably about 2-3 (in any case
lower than 7). A 10 % presence of surfactant is enough to produce a good emulsion. Atlox® LP-6 is used in this
example at 12%, before emulsification.
This time, due to the increased viscosity of Solvesso the emulsion was stable even without addition of viscosity
modifier, although is recommended any viscosity modifier for the outer oil phase.

Finally, we have obtained, for the first time a CX-o formulation (combined capsule suspension of RPµ and NPµ)
wherein we have ioxynil sodium, microencapsulated in a core of water, and metsulfuron microencapsulated in a
core of oil, and both types of microcapsules having a continuous phase of water surrounding them.
The best advantage of this formulation is that the very sensitive to degradation sulfonylurea metsulfuron-methyi
degraded only 3.1% in 2 weeks at 54 °C compared with commercial products containing it wherein a range from
10% till 34% has been observed in our lab at the same time and temperature conditions. Further an oi:
suspension of metsulfuron-methyi, according Adjustment Mixture B of Example 1 (substituting diflufenican by
metsulfuron-methyi) and adding 5% of urea in respect total oil suspension, showed degradation of 45% in 2
weeks at 54 °C. This demonstrates undoubtfully that degradation of metsulfuron-methyi is almost completely
inhibited by virtue of microencapsulating it, thus providing this invention a way to combine water soluble
agrochemicals with labile sulfonylureas, very prone to degradation in water phase or even oil phase The space
constriction of the tiny microcapsules (1.1 urn mean diameter) limits the reactivity of the sulfonylureas, and the
accumulation of any by-products that balance the equilibrium to the original sulfonylurea undegraded, makes
this invention extremely useful for any sulfonylurea, since the degradation inhibition seen with metsulfuron-
methyi, has been equally observed with tribenuron-methyl (results and process not shown) and there is no
rationale into thinking that this protective effect cannot be extended to all sulfonylureas, that are quite similar in
chemical structure. Moreover, the experiment of tribenuron-methyl was done with a emulsification into the water
phase as in Example 6 (namely, obtaining a CX-w), meaning that the existence of an oil or a water phase
outside of the microcapsule is irrelevant for what happens inside the microcapsule (logically). Unencapsulated
material was below 0.1%. Emulsification properties were tested according FAO specifications showing no oil
separation at 30 minutes and after 2 hours, and full reemulsification was shown after 24 hours The formulation
did not presented any phase separation after 2 weeks at 40 °C.
EXAMPLE 7
ZC (=CS+SC) formulation of a capsule suspension of oxytetracycline hydrochloride in RPµ and milled
tebuconazole against fungal and bacterial attacks.
A RPµ (Capsule Suspension in reverse phase, CS) according example 1 was made -E7 1-, replacing the 60%
solution of glyphosate-lPA with a 10% of oxytetracycline hydrochloride solution adjusted to pH 5 with citric acid
(as needed).
A Suspension Concentrate do tebuconazole was performed with the following formula, and a customary milling
process was carried out with DynoMill machines with glass-beads as milling mechanism
Formula SC Tebuconazole E7.2:
[wt-%]
Tebuconazole 20
Marcol82 15.00
Propylenglycol 9.00
Sapogenate T 80 4.00
PAE 147 1.00

Pangel 0.18
Celvol 205 0.75
Ascorbic acid 0.01
Germall II 0.04
Keltrol 0.18
Atlas G 5000 1.00
Atlox4913 3.32
Dispersing LFH 1.00
Antimussol 0.50
PVP 15 solution 1.99
Water 42
Total . 100.00
To the SC tebuconazole E7.2 a mixture of emulsifiers E7.3 consisting in castor oil 54 mols ethoxylated
Soprophor 461 : Tween 20 (ratio 10:80:10) was prepared in order to achieve a ZC formulation in continuous
phase oil.
This emulsifier mixture was mixed at 20 parts per 80 parts of the SC, obtaining E7.4
Finally the desired ZC formulation was obtained by mixing under anchor stirring (100 rpm) 50 parts of E7 4 with
50 parts of E7.1
Unencapsulated material was below 0.1%.
EXAMPLE 8
Particle size of RPµ of trifloxysulfuron sodium according the chosen wall forming materials
Components (in %) E8.1 E8.2 E8.3 E8.4 E8.5
water phase
Trifloxysulfuron sodium (10%) 53 53 53 53 53
oil phase
TDI 5 3
HMDI 5
TMDI 5
TMXDI 5 - - - 2
Cythane3174 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5
Cymel1170 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Cymel1171 .....

Powderlink 1174 -----
CymeM172 -----
DBTL(1%insolvesso) 11111
DBU (10% in Solvesso200) 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.05
p-toluensulfonic acid - - 0.02 0.02 0.02
Atlox4914 3 3 3 3 3
AtloxLP-6 3 3 3 3 3
Solvesso200 34 3 34.3 34.3 34.3 34.9
Average Particle Size (µm) 1.8 7.4 6.7 9.4 58.7
Percentil 90 4.5 15.8 25.4 38.7 220
In these series of tests, it was investigated the effects of the wall forming materials in the size of the
microcapsules.
The better result (most homogeneous microcapsules with the smaller diameter) was obtained by E8 1, well
distant from the results of all other tests.
The smaller the diameter is, the faster is the release, that for most herbicides is highly desired, since the farmer
desires to obtain controlling results as soon as possible. However, higher sizes may. in certain conditions be
more interesting, since this provides a longer action, in general.
For the most common and most appreciated characteristics of the microcapsules for agriculture (small particle
size) the ones that contain glycoluril resins show much better results. Of these, those combined with he
isocyanate TMXDI provide the most homogeneous and sharpened distribution of sizes





In all this formulations, we have obtained convenient microcapsules with novel formulas, while not keeping free
the water phase from all the components but the a.i. We can perform this with Glyphosate isopropylammonium
salt and 2,4-D sodium, since none of the components added in the water phase react with the a.i. While the
preferred embodiments of this invention are those that keep the water phase only for the active ingredient(s),
this does not mean that other advantages of the invention can be used when adding wall forming materials in
the water phase (in this case, the exactly same Adjustment Mixture A of Example 1 has been used to obtain
perfectly stable formulations of microcapsules, a logistical advantage).
EXAMPLE 10
Water Dispersable Granules of thifensulfuron-methyl and RPµ containing glyphosate ammonium.
A formulation (water based) according Example 5 was made, with the substitution of flurocloridone by
thifensulfuron-methyl and acifluorfen sodium by glyphosate ammonium (E10.1). At the end of the process, in
order to allow the spray-dry process, it was added 10% (with respect total weight of formed E10.1) of sodium

dioctylsulfosuccinate wetter was added and also 1% of sodium stearic methyl taunde dispersant To this
amount, an Adjustemt Mixture AM-DRPµ for allowing the spray dry process was used, consisting in 48% of
cyclodextrin. 2% of Arbocel™, 25% CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) and 25% dextrin. 30% over the 1000 g (300
g) of this mixture was added directly to the spray chamber and then the product was sprayed dried, yielding
WDG as shown in Figure 3.
EXAMPLE 11
A series of unsuccessful tests are represented by the following formulas. The resulting microencapsulated
products did not satisfied the minimum requirements for a homogeneous distributed particle size or the stability
was poor (separation of oil from water after 4 days at 54°C). In most cases, the combination of wall forming
materials produced a very fast reaction in an uncontrollable way.



In CEI, it was found 10% of unencapsulated Glyphosate isopropylammonium. Further, rests of formaldehyde
were detectable at 0.008%, meanining that the water soluble resin could not react in full, or at least total
consumption of toxic formaldehyde was not achieved.
The presence of formaldehyde in all the Examples 1-10 of this invention was tested and we could not detect any
residual presence of isocyanates (via derivatization and HPLC-UV analysis) (0.0001% limit of detection) either
from formaldehyde (0.001% limit of detection).

We Claim :
1.- Microcapsules for controlled release of water soluble or dispersible compounds, preferably
agrochemicals. characterized in that the microcapsule have a polymeric wall consisting in the in-
situ reaction of the oil soluble material(s) selected from at least one of the groups i) or ii). more
preferably at least one of each group, and most preferably one of each group:
i) at least a glycoluril resin, preferably a tetra-butoxylated glycoluril resin
ii) at least an isocyanate. preferably an aliphatic polyisocyanate resin
and. when chosen from both types, the ratio of ii) to i) is at the most 20:1 and at least 1:2
and the average size of the microcapsules is from 0.1 urn to 25 µm. preferably I to 5 urn. and the
size percentile 90 of the microcapsules is at the most 100 µm. preferably 50 µm. when measured in
dispersion in water in a laser diffraction apparatus.
2.- Microcapsules according to claim 1 wherein the microcapsule have a polymeric wall consisting
in the reaction of:
i) a glycoluril resin, preferably a tetra-butoxylaled glycoluril resin
ii) an aliphatic polyisocyanate resin, preferably of the type Cylhane" 3714.
combined with TMXDI
wherein in the polymerization reaction it is used at least a catalyst selected from one or
the two the groups
a) polycyclic azo compound, preferably [di-, tri- or tetra-]cyclo [mono-, di-. tri- or
tetra-]aza catalyst, preferably a diazabicyclo catalyst, more preferabK [1.8-
}Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene.
b) a non-nitrogenated catalyst, preferably dialkyl tin fatty acid ester, and more
preferably dibutyl tin laurate;
preferably with one catalyst from each group and most preferably the combination ot
{1.8-}Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene. also named DBU. from 0.5 to 10% and dibutyl
tin laurate from 0.01 to 5%:
provided that the concentration of the encapsulated compound(s) in the core water phase is below
of the solubility in water limit at 20 °C of the each encapsulated compound; and

the average size of the microcapsules is from 0.1 µm to 25 µm, and the size percentile 90 of the
microcapsules is at the most 50 µrn, when measured in dispersion in water in a laser diffraction
apparatus.
3.- Microcapsules according to claim 1, wherein at least a water soluble compound is selected from
the list: acifluorfen-sodium. ammonium sulfamate, asulam-sodium, aviglycine hydrochloride,
potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, bilanafos-sodium. bispyribac-sodium. borax,
bromoxynil heptanoate. sec-butylamine, cartap hydrochloride, chlormequat chloride, sodium
chloroacetate, clofencet-potassium, clopyralid-olamine. copper sulfate. 2.4-D-dimethylammonium.
2.4-D-sodium. dalapon-sodium, 2,4-DB-sodium. dicamba, dichlorprop-potassium. dikegulac-
sodium. dinoterb-diolamine, diquat dibromide, diquat dichloride, ferrous sulfate, flucarbazone-
sodium, flupropanate-sodium. formaldehyde, formetanate hydrochloride, fosamine-ammonium.
fosetyl-aluminium. fosthiazate, gibberellic acid, glufosinate-ammonium. glyphosate-
isopropylammonium. glyphosate-trimesium, glyphosate-sodium, glyphosate-ammonium.
glyphosatc. guazatine acetates. GY-81. hexazinone. 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate, hymexazol.
imazalil sulfate, imazapyr, imazaquin-ammonium, iminoctadine triacetate, iodosulfuron-methyl-
sodium. ioxynil-sodium, ioxynil, kasugamycin hydrochloride hydrate, maleic hydrazide. malcic
hydrazide potassium salt, MCPA-sodium, MCPA-sodium, mepiquat chloride, mercuric chloride,
mesosulfuron-methyl. mesotrione, metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M, metam-sodium. methamidophos.
methomyl. methaldehyde. naptalam-sodium. nicotine, sodium o-nitrophenolate. sodium p-
nitrophenolate. sodium 5-nitroguaiacolate. paraquat dibromide. paraquat dichloride. sodium
pentachlorophenoxide. sodium 2-phenylphenoxide. phloxine, picloram-triisopropanolammonium.
picloram-potassium. propamocarb hydrochloride, propoxycarbazone-sodium. pyrithiobac-sodium.
streptomycin sesquisulfate. strychnine. 2.3.6-TBA. trichloroacetic acid. TC'A-sodium. thiocyclam
hydrogen oxalate, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, validamycin, chlordimeform hydrochloride,
chlorphonium chloride, dehydroacetic acid, 2-methoxyethylmercury chloride, natamycin. potassium
cyanate. prothiocarb hydrochloride, sodium fluoride, sodium hexafluorosilicate: including any
water soluble form of all of them, combined or not, in any isomeric or stereochemical composition.
4.- Microcapsules according to claim 1 wherein the compound(s) microencapsulated in the core
water phase are water soluble compound(s). provided that they do not precipitate due to saturation
because of reaching the limit concentration in the core water phase, or compounds dispersiblc in
water selected from the groups: drugs or medicines, living or death organisms in any physiological
state including spores or pollen, mycoplasmas, fungi, bacteria, cells, stem cells, cells for

xenotransplantation, virus, viroids, prions, yeasts, plants, or genetic material, aminoacids. proteins,
nucleic acids. DNA. RNA. vaccines or compounds directed for feeding purposes.
5.- Microcapsules according to claim 1 wherein the microcapsules are in a dry or llovvable form.
optionally combined with further oil soluble agrochemicals present also in dr\ or llovvable form.
6.- Microcapsules according to claim 5 characterized in that they are further dispersed and
surrounded by an external water phase, with the aid of necessary surface active compounds,
preferably selected from Arabic gum, polyvinyl alcohol, castor oil ethoxylates/propoxylatcs, di- or
tri-stirylphenol ethoxylates/propoxylates. fatty acid alcohol ethoxylatcs. sorbilan esters.
7.- Microcapsules according to claim 6 characterized in that they are further dispersed and
surrounded by an external oil phase, making such formulation emulsifiable in water, with the aid of
necessary surface active compounds, preferably selected from castor oil ethoxylates/propoxylates.
di- or tri-stirylphenol ethoxylates/propoxylates, fatty acid alcohol ethoxylates. sorbitan esters.
8.- Process for the production of microcapsules containing a water phase and water soluble
compound(s) therein, within a polymeric wall, said process comprising:
1) providing an aqueous phase containing at least on compound to be microencapsulated,
preferably at least one water soluble agrochemical. optionally at least a water soluble
surface active ingredient and optionally water soluble surface active compounds(s).
antioxidants. UV-protectors, emetics, clays:
2) providing an oil phase containing at least an unpolar solvent substantial!) insoluble in
water, preferably a naphtha solvent or aliphatic or aromatic petroleum distillate,
vegetable or mineral oils; the wall forming materials selected from the group: glycoluril
resins, preferably fully butoxyiated glycoluril resin, aliphatic isocyanatc resins.
preferably of the chemical type Cymel® 3741. and preferably combined with TMXDI:
and at least oil soluble surface active ingredient(s). preferably . and a catalyst of the t\pe
dibutyltinlauralte an optionall) a proton transfer catalyst (but necessarih a proton
transfer catalyst if no catalyst is added in step 3). optionally adding an a/a polyc\clo
catalyst of the type DBU in this step and not in step 3:
3) emulsifying the aqueous phase into the oil phase, at a temperature of 40 to 60°(' this
step initiates the in situ polymerization reaction of the wall forming materials onto the
water droplets, optionally adding oil soluble catalyst when the polymerization reaction

has already begun -preferably DBU or any similar aza polycyclo catalyst.-, about 5-30
minutes after the addition of the water phase to the oil phase (but necessarily if no
catalyst is added in step 2)
4) raising the temperature for the curing of the microcapsules to 60 - 100°C
5) Eventually adding to the resulting dispersion of microcapsules in oil further
coformulants soluble or dispersible in oil suface active coformulants. optional!y clays.
aluminosilicates. viscosity modifiers, antioxidants, UV-protectors. wetting agents,
perfumes, emetics, defoamers; optionally this addition is made dissolving previously
these coformulants into an aliquot of the same unpolar solvent(s)
9.- A process according to claim 8 in which in the water phase of step 1) there exist active
ingredients or surfactants dispersed in the water, provided that they have no affinity to the
determined oil phase chosen in step 2). namely, substantially insoluble in the oil phase.
10- A process according to claim 8 wherein at least one compound to be microencapsulated is a
biologically active, for any biological entity, ingredient, provided that such compound(s) do not
lose their biological activity due to the reaction with any compound or mixture of compounds
present in the process, or to the conditions of the process, in particular temperature degradation and
reactivity with wall forming materials.
11.- A process according to claim 8 wherein at least one compound to be microencapsulated is an
agrochemical active ingredient.
12.- A process according to claim 8 wherein at least one compound to be microencapsulated is a
cosmetic, pharmaceutic, medicinal, nutraceutic. biotechnologically-obtained active ingredient.
13.- A process according to claim 8 for producing a formulated composition containing
microcapsules that encapsulate at least a water soluble or water dispersible biologically active
compound within a wall made of the reaction of a least a glycoluril resin and an isocyanate resin,
and optionally TMXDI. which process comprises:
1) providing an aqueous phase containing at least on compound to be microencapsulated.
preferably at least one water soluble agrochemical. optionally at least a water soluble
surface active ingredient

2) providing an oil phase containing at least an unpolar solvent substantially insoluble in
water, the wall forming materials selected from the group: glycoluril resins, preferably
fully butoxylated glycoluril resin, aliphatic isocyanate resins, preferably of the chemical
type Cymel® 3741. and preferably combined with TMXDl; and at least oil soluble
surface active ingredient(s), preferably of the type LP-6 and/or Atlox® 4914 and
optionally a non-nitrogenated proton transfer catalyst (but necessarih if no catalyst is
added in step 3).
3) emulsifying the aqueous phase into the oil phase, at a temperature of 40 to 60°C this
step initiates the in situ polymerization reaction of the wall forming materials onto the
water droplets, optionally adding an oil soluble aza catalyst of the type DBU when the
polymerization reaction has already begun, about 5-30 minutes after the addition of the
water phase to the oil phase (but necessarily if no catalyst is added in step 2)
4) raising the temperature for the curing of the microcapsules to 60 100oC
5) Adding the necessary coformulants to form a functionally acceptable agricultural
formulation preferably at least two surface active materials, optionally at least an
alumiosilicate-based material or material providing the same functionality of it. and all
these coformulants optionally being in organic unpolar solvent(s). most preferably the
same unpolar solvent(s) present in the oil phase of step 2).
14.- A formulated agrochemical composition according to claim 8 wherein the microencapsulated
agrochemical is at least a "quat" herbicide, preferably chosen from paraquat, diquat. chloimequal.
in any form, optionally in halogenide form, more preferably bromide or chloride- an the oil phase
contains a sulfonylurea o sulfonamide herbicide.
15.- A formulated agrochemical composition of the type water dispersable granules containing
microcapsules according claim 1.
16.- A formulated agrochemical composition of the type ZC (suspension concentrate plus capsule
suspension) containing microcapsules according claim 1.
17.- A formulated agrochemical composition consisting of a combination of an emulsion
concentrate plus capsule suspension, containing microcapsules according claim 1.
18.- An agrochemical formulation characterized in that it contains:

a) Reverse phase microcapsules (RPµ) containing a watery core wherein at least water
soluble active ingredient is present
b) Normal phase microcapsules (NPµ) containing a oily core wherein at least an oily
soluble active ingredient is present
19.- The agrochemical formulation according claim 18 wherein the microcapsules a) are
characterized in that they are according claim 1.
20.- The agrochemical formulation according claim 18 wherein the microcapsules b) are
characterized in that they have a mixed polymeric wall made by the reaction of isocyanales and
glycoluril wall forming materials.
21.- Process of producing an agrochemical formulation containing the microcapsules according
claim 18 consisting in:
1) Obtaning an oil-based suspension of microcapsules RPµ
2) Obtaining a water-based suspension of microcapsules NPµ
And alternatively:
i) Emulsifying the suspension with RPµ into the NPµ with the use of a
surfactant or more preferably a mixture of surfactants (at a 1-50% with
respect the total weight of NPµ formulation, preferably 5-25% and more
preferably 10-20%) with MLB value of 7-14. preferabl} 8-14 and more
preferably 9-13, or
ii) Emulsifying the suspension with NPµ into the RPµ with the use of a
surfactant or more preferably mixture of surfactants (at a 1-50% with respect
the total weight of NPµ formulation, preferably 5-25% and more preferabl}
10-20%) with HLB value of 1-7, preferably 1-5 and more preferabl} 2-5.

This invention relates to microcapsules and processes of microencapsulation of water soluble or water dispersible compounds by reverse-phase microencapsulation, referred to agrochemicals
but not as a limiting feature, and how to combine them with other oil soluble or oil dispersible compounds in suitable formulations for agriculture, in a industrially viable process that yields tiny microcapsules ( overall good performance of the formulation. Further, multiple combinations of this reverse-phase microcapsules are disclosed, being specially notorious the combination with normal-phase microcapsules in order to create a Capsule Mixed Suspension (CX) where an outer oil -or
alternatively water- phase contains microcapsules of two types: those with a core of water -and actives dissolved or dispersed therein- and those with a core of oil -and actives dissolved or dispersed therein-. Water Dispersable Granules (WDG) and Emulsion Concentrates (EC) and suspension concentrates (SC) combinations with the reverse phase microcapsules are also successfully performed, providing a novel concept of combinations of oil soluble with water soluble microencapsulated active ingredients.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=g7pw/ot3ElMIDPj62JcVUg==&amp;loc=wDBSZCsAt7zoiVrqcFJsRw==


Patent Number 278012
Indian Patent Application Number 4258/KOLNP/2008
PG Journal Number 51/2016
Publication Date 09-Dec-2016
Grant Date 08-Dec-2016
Date of Filing 21-Oct-2008
Name of Patentee GAT MICROENCAPSULATION AG
Applicant Address GEWERBEZONE 1, A-2490 EBENFURTH,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 GIMENO SIERRA, MIGUEL GEWERBEZONE 1, A-2490 EBENFURTH,
2 CASANA GINER, VICTOR GEWERBEZONE 1, A-2490 EBENFURTH,
3 GIMENO SIERRA, BARBARA GEWERBEZONE 1, A-2490 EBENFURTH,
PCT International Classification Number C08G 18/28
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2007/002809
PCT International Filing date 2007-03-29
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 06024299.7 2006-11-23 EPO
2 06006748.5 2006-03-30 EPO