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US4287321A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Poly(phenylene ether)poly(vinyl aromatic) compositions

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1979-12-10
•
Granted: 1981-09-01
•
Expires: 1999-12-10
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Abstract

Abstract Polyphenylene ether-poly(vinyl aromatic) compositions are prepared by oxidatively coupling a phenol dissolved in a basic reaction medium comprising a vinyl aromatic compound in the presence of a manganese chelate catalyst, selectively liquid-liquid extracting base-reactive by-products, then thermally polymerizing the vinyl aromatic compound.

Inventors

  • 👤 Walter K. Olander

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 19:33
CPC Classifications
C; C08; C08G; C08G65/00; C08G65/34; C08G65/46; C08F; C08F283/00; C08F283/06; C08F283/08; C08G65/38; C08G65/44

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
A process for the preparation of a composition comprising a polyphenylene ether and a poly(vinyl aromatic) compound, said process comprising the steps of: (a) oxidatively coupling a phenolic monomer to form a polyphenylene ether in a basic reaction medium comprising a polymerizable vinyl aromatic compound in the presence of a manganese chelate complex of the formula (L).sub.x Mn wherein L is a ligand derived from an ω-hydroxyoxime by conventional means, Mn is the transition metal manganese and x is at least equal to about 0.05; (b) selectively liquid-liquid extracting from the reaction mixture of step (a) with an immiscible solvent to the base-reactive by-products therein; and (c) thereafter heating the base-extracted solution of polyphenylene ether in vinyl aromatic compound under polymerization conditions until at least part of said vinyl aromatic compound has been polymerized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
A process for the preparation of a composition comprising a polyphenylene ether and a poly(vinyl aromatic) compound, said process comprising the steps of: (a) oxidatively coupling a phenolic monomer to form a polyphenylene ether in a basic reaction medium comprising a polymerizable vinyl aromatic compound in the presence of a manganese chelate complex of the formula (L).sub.x Mn wherein L is a ligand derived from an ω-hydroxyoxime by conventional means, Mn is the transition metal manganese and x is at least equal to about 0.05; (b) selectively liquid-liquid extracting from the reaction mixture of step (a) with an immiscible solvent to the base-reactive by-products therein; and (c) thereafter heating the base-extracted solution of polyphenylene ether in vinyl aromatic compound under polymerization conditions until at least part of said vinyl aromatic compound has been polymerized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 123 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the phenolic monomer is selected from compounds having the formula: ##STR4## wherein X is a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and iodine, Q is a monovalent substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbon radicals, halohydrocarbon radicals having at least two carbon atoms between the halogen atom and the phenol nucleus, hydrocarbonoxy and halohydrocarbonoxy radicals having at least two carbon atoms between the halogen atom and the phenol nucleus; and Q' is as defined for Q, and in addition may be halogen and Q" are each as defined in Q' and in addition hydrogen, with the proviso that Q, Q' and Q" are all free of a tertiary carbon atom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 13 words
A process as defined in claim 2 wherein the phenolic compound is 2,6-xylenol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the vinyl aromatic compound is styrene or vinyl toluene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process as defined in claim 4 wherein the vinyl aromatic compound is styrene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 56 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the ligand of the manganese chelate complex is of the formula: ##STR5## wherein R a , R b , R c , R d are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, acyclic and cyclic organic radicals and n is a positive integer equal to 0 or 1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process as defined in claim 6 wherein the manganese chelate complex is manganese benzoin oxime.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said base is an alkali metal hydroxide in a solvent comprising water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process as defined in claim 8 wherein said solvent further includes a low molecular weight alcohol.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
A process as defined in claim 1 which includes the step of adding an acid, acid halide or acid anhydride to neutralize any trace base after step (b), but prior to step (c).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
A process as defined in claim 1 which includes the step of employing a vinyl unsaturated coupling agent functionally reactive with the polyphenylene ether, by means of which the vinyl aromatic compound is chemically graft copolymerized onto the polyphenylene ether in step (c).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process as defined in claim 11 wherein said coupling agent is maleic anhydride.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3383435A Cited
US3700750A Cited
US3781382A Cited
US3956242A Cited
US4075174A Cited
US4207406A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-08-31 1985-03-02 1985-09-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-08-31 1989-03-02 1989-09-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-08-31 1993-03-02 1993-09-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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