Polymerization of higher lactams

Claim 1

IN THE BASE-CATALYZED POLYMERIZZATION OF HIGHER LACTAMS HAVING MORE THAN 5 CARBON ATOMS IN THE LACTAM RING THEROF, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING CARRYING OUT SAID POLYMERIZATION UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS CONDITIONS AT AN INITIATING TEMPEREATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE LACTEN AND BELOW THE SOFTENING POINT OF THE POLYMERIZATION PRODUCT AND IN THE PRESENCE OF (1) BETWEEN ABOUT 0.01 AND ABOUT 20 MOL PERCENT, BASED ON THE LACTAM MONOMER, OF A NITROGEN-CONTAINING PROMOTER COMPOUND IN WHICH THE NITROGEN ATOMS ARE TRIVALENT AND IN WHICH AT LEAST ONE NITROGEN ATOMS IS DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO AT LEAST TWO RADICALS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CARBONYL, THIOCARBONYL, SULFONYL, NIRTOSO, PHOSPHINYL AND THIOPHOSPHINYL RADICALS AND NO PROMOTER COMPOUND HAS MORE THAN ONE NITROSO RADICAL DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO SAID NITROGEN ATOM, THE REMAINING BOND OF SAID NIRTOGEN ATOM BEING ATTACHED TO A MEMBER FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SAID RADICALS AND CARBON, THE REMAINDER OF SAID PROMOTER COMPOUND BEING COMPOSED OF ORGANIC RADICALS SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY THE REMAINING AVALIABLE VALENCES AND NO NITROGEN ATOM IN SAID ORGANIC RADICALS HAS MORE THAN ONE HYDROGEN ATOM ATTACHED DIRECTLY THERETO, AND (2) BETWEEN ABOUT 0.25 AND ABOUT 2,0 MOLS, PER MOL OF SAID NITROGEN-CONTAINING PROMETER COMPOUND, OF AN AMINE REGUALATOR COMPOUND HAVING AT LEAST ONE HYDROGEN ATOM ATTACHED TO THE AMINE NITROGEN ATOM THEREIN.