Segmented oxymethylene block copolymers

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PREPARING SEGMENTED BLOCK COPOLYMERS COMPRISING (1) POLYMERIZING A FIRST ANIONICALLY POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER SELECED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FORMALDEHYDE AND ACETALDEHYDE IN A FLUID REACTION ZONE AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF AN ANIONIC POLYMERIZATION CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) ALKYL, ARYL AND CYCLOALKYL METALLOORGANIC HYDROCARBONS WHEREIN THEMETAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LITHIUM, SODIUM, ZINC, CADMIUM, BORON, TIN AND CHROMIUM, AND (B) ADDITION COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS WITH COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS HAVING AT LESAT TWO AROMATIC RINS AND VINYL COMPOUNDS, TO FORM A FIRST POLYMERIC SEGMENT CONSISTING OF RECURRING UNITS DERIVED FROM SAID MONOMER, AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE PROPAGATING TERMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL; AND (2) THEREAFTER CHARGING TO SAID REACTION ZONE A SECOND, DIFFERENT ANIONICALLY POLYMERIZZABLE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VINYLIDENE HYDROCARBONS, OLEFIN OXIDES AND ALDEHYDES HAVING MORE THAN 2 CARBON ATOMS AND POLYMERIZING SAID MONOMER ONTO SAID PROPAGATING TEMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID CATALYST, TO FORM A SEGMENTED BLOCK COPOLYMER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND POLYMERIC SEGEMENTS CONSITING, RESPECTIVELY, OF RECURRING UNITS DERIVED FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND MONOMERS, AND HAING AT LEAST ONE PROPAGATING TERMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PREPARING SEGMENTED BLOCK COPOLYMERS COMPRISING (1) POLYMERIZING A FIRST ANIONICALLY POLYMERIZABLE MONOMER SELECED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FORMALDEHYDE AND ACETALDEHYDE IN A FLUID REACTION ZONE AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF AN ANIONIC POLYMERIZATION CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (A) ALKYL, ARYL AND CYCLOALKYL METALLOORGANIC HYDROCARBONS WHEREIN THEMETAL IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF LITHIUM, SODIUM, ZINC, CADMIUM, BORON, TIN AND CHROMIUM, AND (B) ADDITION COMPOUNDS OF ALKALI METALS WITH COMPOUNDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS HAVING AT LESAT TWO AROMATIC RINS AND VINYL COMPOUNDS, TO FORM A FIRST POLYMERIC SEGMENT CONSISTING OF RECURRING UNITS DERIVED FROM SAID MONOMER, AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE PROPAGATING TERMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL; AND (2) THEREAFTER CHARGING TO SAID REACTION ZONE A SECOND, DIFFERENT ANIONICALLY POLYMERIZZABLE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VINYLIDENE HYDROCARBONS, OLEFIN OXIDES AND ALDEHYDES HAVING MORE THAN 2 CARBON ATOMS AND POLYMERIZING SAID MONOMER ONTO SAID PROPAGATING TEMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID CATALYST, TO FORM A SEGMENTED BLOCK COPOLYMER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND POLYMERIC SEGEMENTS CONSITING, RESPECTIVELY, OF RECURRING UNITS DERIVED FROM SAID FIRST AND SECOND MONOMERS, AND HAING AT LEAST ONE PROPAGATING TERMINAL ANIONIC RADICAL.