Continuous solution polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS POLYMERIZATION OF METHYL METHACRYLATE TO HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT SOLID POLYMERS WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY ADDING TO A REACTOR MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 135*C. AND ABOUT 170*C., A SOLUTION OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AND AN ALKYLATED BENZENE SOLVENT SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ALKYLATED BENZENES HAVING AT LEAST ONE ALKYL GROUP ATTACHED TO THE BENZENE RING THROUGH A SECONDARY CARBON ATOM AND ALKYLATED BENZENES HAVING AT LEAST TWO ALKYL GROUPS OTHER THAN METHYL ATTACHED TO THE BENZENE RING THROUGH PRIMARY CARBON ATOMS, SAID SOLVENT HAVING A BOILING POINT BETWEEN 150*C. AND 250*C., SAID SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM ONE TO THREE PARTS BY WEIGHT OF METHYL METHACRYLATE PER PART OF SOLVENT, AT A RATE SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN POLYMER SOLIDS IN THE REACTION MIXTURE BETWEEN ABOUT 25 AND ABOUT 55 PERCENT BY WEIGHT, WHILE CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING A PORTION OF THE REACTION CONTENTS INTO A SECOND HEATED CHAMBER MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 160*C. AND 300*C., REMOVING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE VOLATILE CONTENT IN THE SAID REMOVED PORTION AND RECOVERING THE SOLID POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE THUS PRODUCED.