Conversion of polymethacrylate to polymethacrylimide in an aqueous system

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF MAKING WATER-INSOLUBLE ALKALI-RESISTANT POLYMETACRYLIMIDES WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CARBOXY GROUPS AND WHEREIN THE DEGREE OF IMIDIZATION OF SAID POLYMETHACRYLIMIDES IS AT LEAST 95 PERCENT, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES HEATING, AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 1800*C AND 300*C. AND AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 8 TO ABOUT 85 ATMOSPHERES, A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HOMOPOLYMERS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AND COPOLYMERS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE WITH UP TO 90 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A COMONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METHARCRYLIC ACID,METHACRYLONITRILE, METHACRYLAMIDE, METHACRYLAMIDES ACID, METHACRYLONTRILE, MONOAMINES HAVING 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, METHACRYLIC ACID CHLORIDE, AND AMMONIUM METHACRYLATE, WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 30 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT OF SAID SOLUTION, OF A PIMARY ALIPHATIC MONOAMINE, SUFFICIENT SOLUTION BEING USED SO THAT AN FORMIN GROUPS OF THE POLYMER BENG TREATED IS PRESENT. FORMING GROUPS OF THE POLYMER BEING TREATED IS PRESENT.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF MAKING WATER-INSOLUBLE ALKALI-RESISTANT POLYMETACRYLIMIDES WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CARBOXY GROUPS AND WHEREIN THE DEGREE OF IMIDIZATION OF SAID POLYMETHACRYLIMIDES IS AT LEAST 95 PERCENT, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES HEATING, AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 1800*C AND 300*C. AND AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 8 TO ABOUT 85 ATMOSPHERES, A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HOMOPOLYMERS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AND COPOLYMERS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE WITH UP TO 90 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A COMONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METHARCRYLIC ACID,METHACRYLONITRILE, METHACRYLAMIDE, METHACRYLAMIDES ACID, METHACRYLONTRILE, MONOAMINES HAVING 1 TO 4 CARBON ATOMS, METHACRYLIC ACID CHLORIDE, AND AMMONIUM METHACRYLATE, WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 1 TO ABOUT 30 PERCENT, BY WEIGHT OF SAID SOLUTION, OF A PIMARY ALIPHATIC MONOAMINE, SUFFICIENT SOLUTION BEING USED SO THAT AN FORMIN GROUPS OF THE POLYMER BENG TREATED IS PRESENT. FORMING GROUPS OF THE POLYMER BEING TREATED IS PRESENT.