Field

Claim 1

A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES (1) POLYMERIZING A NORMALLY GASEOUS 1-ALKENE MONOMER IN THE PRESENCE OF A PREFORMED SOLID METAL OXIDE CATALYST SELECTED FROM OXIDES OF TRANSITION METALS FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF GROUPS V AND VI OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE EFFECTIVE TO PRODUCE A NORMALLY-SOLID POLYMER AS A SOLUTE DISSOLVED IN A LIQUID REACTION MIXTURE COMPRISINGING A SUBSTANTIALLY INERT LIQUID SOLVENT AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF EXCESS UNREACTED 1-ALKENE MONOMER, (2) INTRODUCING INTO SAID REACTION MIXTURE A SMALL AMOUNT EFFECTIVE TO INHIBIT FURTHER POLYMERIZATION, OF CARBON DIOXIDE, AND (3) SEPARATING THE PERFORMED SOLID MET AL OXIDE CATALYST AS A SOLID FROM SAID LIQUID REACTION MIXTURE, SAID SEPARATION BEING CHARACTERIZED BY EFFECTING IT AT ELEVATED PRESSURE TO RETAIN SAID EXCESS 1-ALKENE MONOMER IN THE LIQUID PHASE, AND BY EFFECTING IT AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, TO MAINTAIN A LOW VISCOSITY OF SAID LIQUID REACTION MIXTURE.