Process for the preparation of chlorinated and sulfochlorinated polyolefins

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF CHLORINATING A CRYSTALLINE LOW PRESSURE POLYOLEFIN SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HOMOPOLYMERS OF MONOOLEFINS OF 3-8 CARBON ATOMS AND COPOLYMERS OF SAID MONOOLEFINS WITH EACH OTHER, SAID POLYOLEFINS BEING PRODUCED BY THE POLYMERIZATION OF SAID MONOOLEFINS IN CONTACT WITH A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF A CATALYST MIXTURE CONSISTING OF AN ALUMINO-ORGANIC COMPOUND AND A SALT OF THE ELEMENTS OF SUBGROUPS IV-VI OF THE PEROIDIC TABLE, SAID POLYOLEFINS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THEIR INSOLUBILITY IN CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS BOILING BELOW 100*C. AT ATMOSPHERIC PRSSURE, SID PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CHLORINATING SAID POLYOLEFIN IN A FIRST STAGE UNDER ELEVATED PRESSURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 100-160*C. IN A CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON IN WHICH SAID POLYOLEFIN IS INSOLUBLE AND HAVING A NORMAL BOILING POINT BELOW 100*C. AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO FORM A SOLUTION OF THE PARTIALLY CHLORINATED POLYOLEFIN, THE LATTER HAVING A CHLORINE CONTENT OF 2-10% BY WEIGHT OF THE RESULTING POLYMER, AND THEN IN A SECOND STAGE FURTHER CHLORINATING THE DISSOLVED POLYMER UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AT TEMPERTURES FROM 20-80*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF SULFUR DIOXIDE TO OBTAIN A SULFOCHLORINATED POLYOLEFIN HAVING A CHLORINE CONTENT IN EXCESS OF 10% BY WEIGHT BUT NOT GREATER THAN 75% BY WEIGHT OF THE RESULTING PRODUCT.