Patents Represented by Attorney Edgar E. Spielman
  • Patent number: 7087251
    Abstract: A method of eradicating or at least substantially reducing biofilm on a surface in contact with water, or which comes in contact with water, which method comprises introducing into such water a concentrated aqueous biocidal composition formed from bromine chloride and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal salt of sulfamic acid, such composition having an active bromine content of at least about 100,000 ppm (wt/wt), a pH of at least about 7, and an atom ratio of nitrogen to active bromine of greater than 0.93.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. Nalepa
  • Patent number: 6869620
    Abstract: The production process comprises A) forming an acidic aqueous solution comprising alkali metal cations, bromide anions, and sulfamate anions; B) feeding into said aqueous solution a source of alkali metal cations and chlorine-containing bromide oxidant proportioned to keep the resultant aqueous medium acidic and to form an acidic product solution containing at least about 5 wt % of active bromine, and C) raising the pH of the aqueous product solution with water-soluble base to at least about 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: Robert M. Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6831200
    Abstract: The liquid ethereal medium or liquid hydrocarbyl medium of a solution or slurry of an alkali metal tetrakis(Faryl)borate is substituted with at least one halogenated hydrocarbon, without isolating the alkali metal tetrakis(Faryl)borate, to form a new slurry or solution. At least a portion of the new solution is mixed together with a salt selected from a) a protic ammonium salt, b) an onium salt, and c) a triarylmethyl salt, to produce a protic ammonium tetrakis(Faryl)borate, an onium tetrakis(Faryl)borate, or a triarylmethyl tetrakis(Faryl)borate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: John Y. Lee, Rajeev S. Mathur
  • Patent number: 6831188
    Abstract: This invention provides a process of preparing dihydrocarbylamido metal compounds. This process comprises bringing together, in a liquid reaction medium, at least one metal halide, MX4, where M is titanium, zirconium, or hafnium, and X is a halogen atom, with at least one dihydrocarbylamine, such that a mixture of (i) halometal amides in which the atom ratio of halogen to metal is greater than about 0.1 and less than about 2, and (ii) dihydrocarbylamine hydrohalide is produced. Then (i) and (ii) are separated from each other, and (i) is brought together with an alkali metal amide, ANR2, where A is an alkali metal, and R is a hydrocarbyl group, in a liquid medium, to produce a product comprised of substantially halogen-free dihydrocarbylamido metal compound. This invention further provides for purifying dihydrocarbylamido metal compounds by contact with a nitrile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Beard, Robin L. Neil
  • Patent number: 6825390
    Abstract: Propargyl bromide is effectively stabilized against shock or thermal decomposition by use therewith of an environmentally acceptable inert liquid solvent that forms an azeotrope with propargyl bromide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Robert C. Herndon, Jr., Robert H. Allen, Noel H. Brantley, Hassan Y. Elnagar, Ronny W. Lin, Ralph W. Magin, Mahmood Sabahi
  • Patent number: 6822114
    Abstract: Roflumilast and new key intermediates therefor are prepared by processes involving use of carbonylation technology. Good overall yields can be achieved using available starting materials. The starting material for the process can be catechol, an o-R1-phenol, an o-R1-p-X-phenol, or a 1-X-3-R1-4-R2-benzene, where R1, is a C1-6 alkoxy, C3-7 cycloalkoxy, C3-7 cycloalkylmethoxy, or benzyloxy group, or a C1-4 alkoxy group which is completely or partially substituted by fluorine; R2 is a C1-4 alkoxy group which is completely or partially substituted by fluorine; and X is Cl, Br, or I.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Eric L. Williams, Tse-Chong Wu
  • Patent number: 6821456
    Abstract: A compacted particulate polymer additive composition in a dry granular form formed from a substantially uniform mixture of the following components: (a) at least one particulate sterically-hindered phenolic compound, and (b) one or more particulate polymer additives other than a sterically-hindered phenolic compound; wherein the particles of said composition are held together in compacted dry granular form exclusively or substantially exclusively by contact with dried surfaces of in situ desolvated particles from particles of one or more at least partially solvated components of (a), and optionally by contact with dried surfaces of in situ desolvated particles from particles of one or more at least partially solvated components of (b). Compositions of this type except that there is no component (b) are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: John Semen
  • Patent number: 6809205
    Abstract: The process enables highly effective N-halogenation of a compound having one or more halogenatable amido or imido functional groups in the molecule. The process involves, for example, concurrently feeding into a reactor (i) water, inorganic base, and the compound to be N-halogenated, e.g., a hydantoin, and a feed of (ii) a brominating agent and/or a chlorinating agent. The proportions of these feeds are such that the pH is kept within the range of ca. 5.5-8.5 (preferably 6.5-8.5, and most preferably 6.8-7.2) and one or more of the amido or imido nitrogen atoms is substituted by a bromine or chlorine atom. A feature of the process is that it can be conducted at elevated temperatures as high as about 90° C. without appreciable thermal decomposition of reactants or product. The resultant product continuously precipitates in high yield and purity. Moreover, products can be produced that are very pale yellow to almost pure white in appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Hassan Y. Elnagar, Bruce C. Peters, Edgar E. Spielman, Jr., Dustin H. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6800228
    Abstract: Sterically hindered phenol antioxidant additive granules are formed from a paste comprising an organic processing agent comprising a friability reduction agent. The friability reduction agent preferably is an alcohol, more preferably an alkanol having up to about 8 carbon atoms, most preferably methanol, ethanol, and/or isopranol. After drying, the granules consist essentially of the sterically hindered phenol antioxidant additive system. The granules have a balanced hardness that provides sufficient abrasion resistance while permitting ready dispersion into a polymer host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: John Semen
  • Patent number: 6794551
    Abstract: This invention provides a process of producing propargyl bromide in the absence of a base. The process comprises: A) bringing together in a reaction zone under an inert atmosphere and in the absence of a base and in the presence of an inert diluent, a feed of phosphorus tribromide and a separate feed of propargyl alcohol thereby forming a reaction mixture; B) while mechanically agitating the mixture being formed in A), maintaining the temperature of the mixture in the range of about 0° C. to about 25° C. to form a product mixture, and then C) raising the temperature of the product mixture to a temperature in the range of about 40° C. to about 60° C. while stirring the product mixture for a ride period of at least about 2.5 hours. Such process can be conducted as a batch process, as a semi-batch process, or as a continuous process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Mero, Hassan Y. Elnager, Robert C. Herndon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6777375
    Abstract: Propargyl bromide is effectively stabilized against shock or thermal decomposition by use therewith of an environmentally acceptable inert liquid solvent that forms an azeotrope with propargyl bromide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph W. Magin, Robert C. Herndon, Jr., Mahmood Sabahi, Robert H. Allen, Noel H. Brantley, Hassan Y. Elnagar, Ronny W. Lin
  • Patent number: 6746981
    Abstract: Described are solid olefin polymerization catalysts that have, inter alia, very high productivities (at least 18,000 grams of polyethylene per gram of catalyst in one hour) as shown by a standard test procedure for measuring this property or characteristic. Such particulate catalysts can be prepared by prepolymerizing vinylolefin with a Group 4 metallocene-aluminoxane solution, using proportions of vinylolefin (most preferably, ethylene) in the range of about 150 to about 1500, and preferably in the range of about 175 to about 1000, moles per mole of Group 4 metallocene used in forming the solution. The atom ratio of aluminum to Group 4 metal in the solution is in the range of about 150:1 to about 1500:1, and preferably in the range of about 175:1 to about 1000:1. In addition, the Group 4 metallocene ingredient used in forming these highly productive catalysts has in its molecular structure at least one polymerizable olefinic substituent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: Steven P. Diefenbach
  • Patent number: 6730758
    Abstract: Described are solid olefin polymerization catalysts that have, inter alia, very high productivities as shown by a standard test procedure for measuring this property or characteristic, and excellent morphology. Such particulate catalysts can be prepared by prepolymerizing a controlled amount of vinylolefin with a Group 4 metallocene-alurinnoxane solution, in which the original metallocene ingredient used in the process has in its molecular structure at least one polymerizable olefinic substituent. These particulate catalysts do not contain, and thus are not produced in the presence of, a preformed support such as an inorganic compound (silica or etc.) or a preformed particulate polymeric support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventor: Steven P. Diefenbach
  • Patent number: 6680070
    Abstract: The dry blends comprise a powdery or finely-divided active ingredient such as a pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, agricultural chemical, water-treating agent or biocidal agent, and a micronized synthetic polyolefin-based hydrocarbon wax and/or a micronized synthetic polyfluorocarbon wax that is compatible with the active ingredient. Shape-retentive compacted compositions are formed by pressure compacting such blends. Preferred active ingredients are 1,3-dihalo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins and profen pharmaceuticals such as naproxen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan N. Howarth, Bruce C. Peters
  • Patent number: 6677265
    Abstract: The process features concurrent feeds into the liquid phase of a prepolymerization reaction mixture. These feeds are: a) separate continuous or substantially continuous feeds of (i) a polymerizable vinylolefin, and (ii) a solution in an organic liquid solvent of a metallocene and an aluminoxane and/or metallocene-aluminoxane reaction product; or b) separate continuous or substantially continuous feeds of (i) a polymerizable vinylolefin, (iii) a metallocene optionally in an organic liquid solvent or diluent, and (iv) an aluminoxane optionally in an organic liquid solvent or diluent; or c) separate continuous or substantially continuous feeds of (i) and (ii) and at least one of (iii) and (iv). Particles of catalytically-active, prepolymerized, self-supported olefin polymerization catalyst composition are formed in the reaction medium. The metallocene used as the feed or in making up the feed has at least one polymerizable olefinic substituent in the molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Kneale, James E. Boone, Steven P. Diefenbach, Cecil P. Loechelt, John C. Prindle, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6657028
    Abstract: A batch process for the anionic polymerization of a styrenic monomer is described. The process brings together a liquid saturated hydrocarbon diluent, an ether promoter, an organolithium initiator and a styrenic monomer in such a way so as to maintain the reaction mixture at or below about 55° C. and so that the amount of organolithium initiator employed is in the range of about 1 to about 10 mol %, based upon the total amount of styrenic monomer to be added. Favorable polydispersity and molecular weight polymer characteristics are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: J. Todd Aplin, Charles H. Kolich, W. Dirk Klobucar, Kimberly A. Maxwell
  • Patent number: 6652889
    Abstract: Described is a process of producing a concentrated liquid biocide formulation. Mixed together are (a) bromine chloride or bromine and (b) an aqueous solution of alkali metal salt of sulfamic acid having a pH of at least about 7, in amounts such that (i) the active bromine content of the solution is at least about 100,000 ppm (wt/wt), and (ii) the atom ratio of nitrogen to active bromine from (a) and (b) is greater than 1 when bromine is used and is greater than 0.93 when bromine chloride is used. Use of bromine chloride as the source of the active bromine in the process is preferred because in the resulting aqueous compositions, all of the bromine of the bromine chloride is made available as active bromine in solution. In other words, the chlorine of the bromine chloride is converted in the process to dissolved alkali metal chloride salt, thereby liberating all of the bromine in the biocidal composition as active bromine capable of providing biocidal activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Moore, Jr., Christopher J. Nalepa
  • Patent number: 6641828
    Abstract: Microbiological control in aqueous media and/or eradication or reduction of biofilm on a surface in contact with such media is achieved by introducing into the aqueous medium a microbiocidally effective quantity of one or more 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins where one of the alkyls is methyl and the other is a C1-4 alkyl, wherein (i) the molar quantity of 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin introduced is less than the molar quantity of N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin that would be required to effect the same degree of microbiological control in that medium, (ii) the molar quantity of the 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin introduced releases an amount of “free chlorine” that is greater than the amount of “free chlorine” that would be released in that medium by an equimolar quantity of N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, and (iii) the amount of “free chlorine” released by the quantity of the 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin introduced is greater than the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan N. Howarth, Christopher J. Nalepa, Michael J. Sanders
  • Patent number: 6639118
    Abstract: Process technology for selectively isomerizing vinylidene olefin to tri-substituted olefin is described. The vinylidene olefin, normally in admixture with other types of olefins, especially linear 1-olefins, is treated with anhydrous hydrogen bromide under anhydrous conditions and in the absence of molecular oxygen and free radical initiator. The contacting period, which can be a matter of minutes, is sufficient to selectively isomerize the vinylidene olefin to tri-substituted olefin. If the process is conducted properly, little if any hydrobromination occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventors: Bonnie G. McKinnie, J. Todd Aplin, Robert U. Lyons, Clinton R. Parham
  • Patent number: 6638959
    Abstract: Microbiological control is achieved by continuously and inexpensively dosing water in contact with biofilm, or that comes into contact with biofilm, using a highly effective biocide that provides very effective microbiocidal control of planktonic microorganisms and of biofilm species, even where the biofilm infestations have been in existence for long periods of time and thus have encased themselves in a substantial quantity of slimy defensive polysaccharide layers or films. In addition, the biocide used makes possible significant reduction in copper and/or iron surfaces in contact with the water as compared to N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethyl hydantoin. Still other advantages are made possible by the described technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan N. Howarth, Christopher J. Nalepa, Michael J. Sanders, David L. Shelton