Poly(ethylene/alkylene) terephthalates which crystallize rapidly

Claim 2

A highly crystalline, thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyester which crystallizes rapidly, said copolyester consisting of a dicarboxylic acid component, at least 90 mol %, based on the dicarboxylic acid component, of said dicarboxylic acid component being condensed terephthalic acid radicals, and 90 and 99.5 mol %, based on the diol component, of said diol component being condensed ethylene glycol radicals and 0.5 to 10 mol %, based on the diol component, thereof being condensed radicals of a member selected from the group consisting of hexane-2,5-diol, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane-1,3-diol, and 2-methylpentane-2,4-diol.

Claim 3

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein said member selected from said group is hexane-2,5-diol.

Claim 4

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein said member selected from said group is 2,2,4-trimethylpentane-1,3-diol.

Claim 5

The copolyester of claim 1 wherein said member selected from said group is 2-methylpentane-2,4 -diol.

Claim 6

A process for the production of thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyesters which crystallize more rapidly than polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer comprising (1) esterifying or transesterifying an acid component consisting of (a) at least 90 mol % of terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalic acid ester, and (b) up to 10 mol % of other aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and acid esters with (2) 1.05 to 2.40 equivalents of a diol component consisting of (a) 90 to 99.5 mol % of ethylene glycol, and (b) 10 to 0.5 mol % of a codiol selected from the group consisting of hexane-2,5-diol; 2,2,4 trimethyl pentane-1,3-diol; and 2-methyl pentane-2,4-diol at (3) a temperature of between 150° and 250° C in the presence of esterification or transesterification catalysts, and (4) polycondensing the initial reaction products at a temperature between 200° and 300° C under reduced pressure in the presence of an esterification catalyst, wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after substantially all of the acid component has been reacted to di(2-hydroxyethyl)ester.

Claim 7

A process for the production of thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyesters which crystallize more rapidly than polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer comprising (1) esterifying or transesterifying an acid component consisting of (a) at least 90 mol % of terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalic acid ester, and (b) up to 10 mol % of other aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and acid esters with (2) 1.05 to 2.40 equivalents of a diol component consisting of (a) 90 to 99.5 mol % of ethylene glycol, and (b) 10 to 0.5 mol % of a codiol selected from the group consisting of hexane-2,5-diol; 2,2,4 trimethyl pentane-1,3-diol; and 2-methyl pentane-2,4-diol at (3) a temperature of between 150° and 250° C in the presence of esterification or transesterification catalysts, and (4) polycondensing the initial reaction products at a temperature between 200° and 300° C under reduced pressure in the presence of an esterification catalyst, wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after substantially all of the acid component has been reacted to di(2-hydroxyethyl)ester.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein the codiol is 2-methyl pentane-2,4-diol.

Claim 9

The product of the process of claim 5.

Claim 10

The product of the process of claim 6.

Claim 11

The process of claim 5 wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after formation of a polyethylene terephthalate prepolymer with a degree of polymerization greater than 4 but before the polycondensation step.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein the codiol is 2-methyl pentane-2,4-diol.

Claim 13

A highly crystalline, thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyester which crystallizes rapidly, said copolyester consisting of a dicarboxylic acid component, at least 90 mol %, based on the dicarboxylic acid component, of said dicarboxylic acid component being condensed terephthalic acid radicals, and 90 to 99.5 mol %, based on the diol component, of said diol component being condensed ethylene glycol radicals and 0.5 to 10 mol %, based on the diol component, thereof being condensed radicals of 3-methylpentane-2,4-diol.

Claim 14

A highly crystalline, thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyester which crystallizes rapidly, said copolyester consisting of a dicarboxylic acid component, at least 90 mol %, based on the dicarboxylic acid component, of said dicarboxylic acid component being condensed terephthalic acid radicals, and 90 to 99.5 mol %, based on the diol component, of said diol component being condensed ethylene glycol radicals and 0.5 to 10 mol %, based on the diol component, thereof being condensed radicals of 3-methylpentane-2,4-diol.

Claim 15

A process for the production of thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyesters which crystallize more rapidly than polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer comprising (1) esterifying or transesterifying an acid component consisting of (a) at least 90 mol % of terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalic acid ester, and (b) up to 10 mol % of aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and acid esters with (2) 1.05 to 2.40 equivalents of a diol component consisting of (a) 90 to 99.5 mol % of ethylene glycol, and (b) 10 to 0.5 mol % of 3 methyl pentane-2,4-diol at (3) a temperature of between 150° and 250° C in the presence of esterification of transesterification catalysts, and (4) polycondensing the initial reaction products at a temperature between 200° and 300° C under reduced pressure in the presence of an esterification catalyst, wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after substantially all of the acid component has been reacted to di(2-hydroxyethyl)ester

Claim 16

A process for the production of thermoplastic terephthalic acid copolyesters which crystallize more rapidly than polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer comprising (1) esterifying or transesterifying an acid component consisting of (a) at least 90 mol % of terephthalic acid and dimethyl terephthalic acid ester, and (b) up to 10 mol % of aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and acid esters with (2) 1.05 to 2.40 equivalents of a diol component consisting of (a) 90 to 99.5 mol % of ethylene glycol, and (b) 10 to 0.5 mol % of 3 methyl pentane-2,4-diol at (3) a temperature of between 150° and 250° C in the presence of esterification of transesterification catalysts, and (4) polycondensing the initial reaction products at a temperature between 200° and 300° C under reduced pressure in the presence of an esterification catalyst, wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after substantially all of the acid component has been reacted to di(2-hydroxyethyl)ester

Claim 17

The product of the process of claim 12.

Claim 18

The process of claim 12 wherein the codiol is added to the reaction mixture after formation of a polyethylene terephthalate prepolymer with a degree of polymerization greater than 4 but before the polycondensation step.