Process for preparing polyarylates

Claim 2

A process for preparing polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/gm, preferably of from about 0.6 to about 0.8, which process comprises reacting, at a temperature of from about 260 to about 350°C preferably between about 275° to about 295°C: (a) at least one diester derivative of a dihydric phenol having the following formula: wherein R is independently selected from an alkyl radical having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl having from 4 to about 7 carbon atoms, y is independently selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, or bromine, z independently has a value of from 0 to 4, inclusive, and R' is independently selected from a divalent unsaturated and saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carboni atoms, a cycloalkylene or cycloalkylidene radical having up to and including 9 carbon atoms, 0, S, SO, S0 2 , CO, x is 0 or 1; with (b) at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, in the presence of from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the polyarylate produced, of at least one halo- genated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or hetero- aromatic compound, said reaction being conducted in the absence of a catalyst.

Claim 3

A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the diester derivative of a dihydric phenol has the following formula: y and z having the same meaning as in claim 1.

Claim 4

A process as defined in claim 2 wherein each z is 0.

Claim 5

A process as defined in one or more of the claims 1 - 3 wherein the aromatic dicarboxylic acid is a mixture of isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid.

Claim 6

A process as defined in claim 4 wherein the isophthalic acid to terephthalic acid ratio in the mixture is about 25:80 to about 100:0.

Claim 7

A process as defined in one or more of claims 1 - 5 wherein the halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic compound is of the following formulae: wherein X is independently Cl, Br, F, or OR 2 , a is an integer of 1 to 5, R 1 is independently alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, or aralkyl or alkaryl of 7 to 18 carbon atoms, R 2 is independently alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, b is integer of 0, 1, or 2, and c is an integer of 0 to(8-a), the aromatic compound being preferably selected from 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, or anisole.

Claim 8

A process as defined in one or more of claims 1 - 5 wherein the halogenated and/or etherated substituted heteroaromatic compound is of the following formula: wherein A is 0, S, or -CH=N-, X is independently Cl, Br, F, or OR 2 , R 1 is independently alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 18 carbon, or aralkyl or alkaryl of 7 to 18 carbon atoms, R 2 is independently alkyl of 1 to 16 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl of 6 to 18 carbon atoms, d is an integer of 1 to 4 and f is an integer of 0 to (4-d).

Claim 9

A process as defined in one or more of the claims 1 - 7 wherein the halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or heteroaromatic compound is present in an amount of from about 25 to about 60 weight percent.

Claim 10

A process for preparing a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/gm which process comprises reacting at a temperature of from about 260 to about 350°C: (a) an acid anhydride based on an acid containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms; (b) at least one dihydric phenol having the following formula: wherein y is independently selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine or bromine, z independently has a value of from 0 to 4, inclusive, R' is independently selected from a divalent saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene or cycloalkylidene radical having up to and including 9 carbon atoms, 0, S, SO, S0 21 CO, x is 0 or 1; and (c) at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, in the presence of from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the polyarylate produced, of at least one halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or heteroaromatic compound, said reaction being conducted in the absence of a catalyst for the dihydric phenol and aromatic dicarboxylic acid.

Claim 11

A process for preparing a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/gm which process comprises reacting at a temperature of from about 260 to about 350°C: (a) an acid anhydride based on an acid containing from 2 to 8 carbon atoms; (b) at least one dihydric phenol having the following formula: wherein y is independently selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine or bromine, z independently has a value of from 0 to 4, inclusive, R' is independently selected from a divalent saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene or cycloalkylidene radical having up to and including 9 carbon atoms, 0, S, SO, S0 21 CO, x is 0 or 1; and (c) at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, in the presence of from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the polyarylate produced, of at least one halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or heteroaromatic compound, said reaction being conducted in the absence of a catalyst for the dihydric phenol and aromatic dicarboxylic acid.

Claim 12

A process for preparing a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/gm, which process comprises the following steps: I. forming a polyarylaLe prepolymer having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.1 to about 0.4 dl/gm, by reacting: (a) at least one diester derivative of a dihydric phenol having the following formula: wherein R is independently an alkyl radical having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or cycloalkyl having from 4 to about 7 carbon atoms, y is independently selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, or bromine, z independently has a value of from 0 to 4, inclusive, and R' is independently selected from a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene, or cycloalkylidene radical having up to and including 9 carbon atoms, 0, S, SO, SO 2 , C0, x is 0 or 1; with (b) at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, in the presence of from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the polyarylate produced, of at least one halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or hetero- aromatic compound, said reaction being conducted in the absence of catalyst. II. Heating the prepolymer so formed at a temperature of from about 300 to 350°C for a period of time, preferably in a vented extruder under vacuum, sufficient to form a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of form about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/g.

Claim 13

A process for preparing a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/gm, which process comprises the following steps: I. forming a polyarylaLe prepolymer having a reduced viscosity of from about 0.1 to about 0.4 dl/gm, by reacting: (a) at least one diester derivative of a dihydric phenol having the following formula: wherein R is independently an alkyl radical having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or cycloalkyl having from 4 to about 7 carbon atoms, y is independently selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, chlorine, or bromine, z independently has a value of from 0 to 4, inclusive, and R' is independently selected from a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene, or cycloalkylidene radical having up to and including 9 carbon atoms, 0, S, SO, SO 2 , C0, x is 0 or 1; with (b) at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, in the presence of from about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the polyarylate produced, of at least one halogenated and/or etherated substituted aromatic or hetero- aromatic compound, said reaction being conducted in the absence of catalyst. II. Heating the prepolymer so formed at a temperature of from about 300 to 350°C for a period of time, preferably in a vented extruder under vacuum, sufficient to form a polyarylate having a reduced viscosity of form about 0.5 to greater than 1.0 dl/g.