Block polymers of hydroxyalkyl phthalate esters and tetrahydrofuran/alkylene oxide copolymers

Claim 2

A linear hydroxyl-terminated block polymer represented by the structure A--B or A--B--A wherein the A block is a copolymer of THF and one or more alkylene oxides, containing two or three carbon atoms in its oxide ring which block constitutes 30-99% of the weight of the total polymer, and the B block is represented by the structure ##STR10## wherein R is --CH 2 -- 2-6 ##STR11## where R 1 and R 2 can be the same or different and can be hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl radical of 1-6 carbon atoms and X is hydrogen when the block polymer is in the A--B configuration, and absent when the block polymer is in the A--B--A configuration, which block constitutes 1-70% of the weight of the total polymer, the polymer having a number average molecular weight of 500-20,000.

Claim 3

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the B block is represented by the structure ##STR12##

Claim 4

The block polymer of claim 1 having a number average molecular weight of 600-10,000.

Claim 5

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the alkylene oxide in the A block is ethylene oxide.

Claim 6

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the alkylene oxide in the A block is a propylene oxide.

Claim 7

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the A block has a THF/alkylene oxide weight ratio of 10/90-90/10.

Claim 8

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the THF/alkylene oxide weight ratio is 30/70-70/30.

Claim 9

The block polymer of claim 1 wherein the A block constitutes 50-95% of the total weight of the polymer and the B block constitutes 5-50% of the total weight of the polymer.

Claim 10

The block polymer of claim 4 wherein the A block has a THF/ethylene oxide weight ratio of 40/60-70/30 and constitutes 50-95% of the weight of the total polymer, and the B block is represented by the structure ##STR13## and constitutes 5-50% of the weight of the total polymer, the block polymer having a number average molecular weight of 600-5,000.

Claim 11

A process fr catalytically preparing the block polymer of claim 1, the process comprising bringing together, under conditions suitable for reaction, (a) a compound represented by the structure ##STR14## (b) tetrahydrofuran, (c) one or more alkylene oxides, and (d) a cationic proton-donating polymerization catalyst.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 wherein the catalyst is a homopolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer (a) containing groups such that the final catalyst polymer will contain groups of the formula ##STR15## where represents the catalyst polymer chain or a segment thereof; D is hydrogen, an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical of 1-10 carbon atoms, a halogen or a segment of the catalyst polymer chain; X and Y are hydrogen, halogen or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical of 1-10 carbon atoms, but at least one of X or Y must be fluorine; R is a linear or branched linking group having up to 40 carbon atoms in the principal chain; and Z is hydrogen, a halogen or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical of 1-10 carbon atoms; or a copolymer of monomer (a) with at least one other copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer (b), the homopolymer or copolymer being effectively free of functional groups which interfere with the reaction.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 in which the catalyst is a copolymer of monomer (a) and a perfluorocarbon monomer.

Claim 14

The process of claim 12 in which the catalyst is a copolymer of TFE or CTFE and a monomer represented by the structure ##STR16## the TFE or CTFE and monomer units being present in weight ratios of 25-75/50-50, respectively, the catalyst copolymer being hydrolyzed to the acid form.

Claim 15

A polymerizate containing block polymers represented by the structure A--B--A and block polymers represented by the structure A--B, both as defined in claim 1.