Polymerization of epoxides

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A POLYMER OF A VICINALMONOPOXYHYDROCARBON WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING IN A POLYMERIZATION ZONE MAINTAINED UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS CONDITIONS: (A) A VINCINAL-MONEOPOXYHYDROCARBON MONOMER FREE FROM ETHYLENIC AND ACETYLENIC UNSATURATION, (B) AN INERT NORMALLY-LIQUID ORGANIC VEHICLE, AND (C) A POLYMERIZATION CATALYST, SAID CATALYST HAVING BEEN PREPARED BY THE REACTION OF ALKALINE EARTH METAL HEXAMMONIATE WITH FROM ABOUT 0.3 TO 1.0 MOL OF OLEFIN OXIDE AND FROM ABOUT 0.2 TO 0.8 MOL OF SATURATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON NITRILE, BASED ON 1.0 MOL OF SAID ALKALINE EARTH METAL HEXAMMONIATE, SAID REACTION BEING CONDUCTED IN AN EXCESS LIQUID AMMONIA MEDIUM AND SUBSEQUENTLY EVAPORATING FROM THE RESULTING PRODUCT MIXTURE THE EXCESS LIQUID AMMONIA, WHEREBY A CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE PRODUCT IS OBTAINED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES CONTROLLING THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF SAID POLYMER BY ADDING TO SAID POLYMERIZATION ZONE IMMEDIATELY AFTER SAID VICINAL-MONOEPOXYHYDROCARBON MONOMER IS BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH SAID POLYMERIZATION CATALYST, FROM ABOUT 5 TO ABOUT 100 WEIGHT PERCENT SATURATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON NITRILE, BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF CONTAINED METAL IN SAID POLYMERIZATION CATALYST, WHEREBY THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF SAID POLYMER IS LESS THAN THE MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF THE POLYMER PRODUCED FROM THE CORRESPONDING POLYMERIZATION SYSTEM TO WHICH NO SATURATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON NITRILE HAS BEEN ADDED.