Polymers containing 2,5-oxolanylene segments

Claim 2

A polymer containing recurring 2,5-oxolanylene units of the formula ##STR12## wherein at least 60 percent of said units are joined directly to one another so as to provide segments consisting of at least six of said units; and wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are, individually, hydrogen or alkyl groups containing up to 8 carbon atoms each.

Claim 3

A polymer according to claim 1 which contains at least 10 percent by weight of oxolanylene units.

Claim 4

A polymer according to claim 1 which has a molecular weight of from about 420 to 1,500,000.

Claim 5

A polymer according to claim 1 wherein at least 60 percent of the units are joined together so as to provide segments of at least ten of said units.

Claim 6

A polymer according to claim 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each hydrogen.

Claim 7

A polymer according to claim 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 4 are each hydrogen and R 3 is methyl.

Claim 8

A polymer containing segments consisting essentially of units of the formulae ##STR13## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are, individually, hydrogen or alkyl groups containing up to 8 carbon atoms each, provided that the totality of such segments in the polymer contain from about 20 to 100 mole percent of type I units of which at least 60 percent are joined directly to one another so as to provide uninterrupted chains of at least 6 such units, 0 to 80 mole percent of type II units and 0 to 20 mole percent of type III units.

Claim 9

A polymer containing segments consisting essentially of units of the formulae ##STR13## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are, individually, hydrogen or alkyl groups containing up to 8 carbon atoms each, provided that the totality of such segments in the polymer contain from about 20 to 100 mole percent of type I units of which at least 60 percent are joined directly to one another so as to provide uninterrupted chains of at least 6 such units, 0 to 80 mole percent of type II units and 0 to 20 mole percent of type III units.

Claim 10

A polymer according to claim 7 in which the defined units constitute at least about 20 percent of the weight of the polymer.

Claim 11

A polymer according to claim 8 having a number average molecular weight of from about 420 to 1,500,000.

Claim 12

A polymer according to claim 7 wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each hydrogen.

Claim 13

A polymer according to claim 7 wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 4 are each hydrogen and R 3 is methyl.

Claim 14

A polymer according to claim 7 consisting essentially of from about 20 to 100 mole percent of units of type I and from about 0 to 80 mole percent of units of type II.

Claim 15

A polymer according to claim 7 consisting essentially of units of type I.

Claim 16

A polymer containing segments consisting essentially of units of the formulae ##STR14## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are, individually, hydrogen or alkyl groups containing up to 8 carbon atoms each and Y is a radical corresponding to the ring opening reagent Y-M wherein M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, provided that the totality of such segments in the polymer contain from about 20 to 100 mole percent of type I units of which at least 60 percent are joined directly to one another so as to provide uninterrupted chains of at least 6 such units, 0 to 80 mole percent of types II and IV units combined and 0 to 20 mole percent of type III units.

Claim 17

A polymer containing segments consisting essentially of units of the formulae ##STR14## wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are, individually, hydrogen or alkyl groups containing up to 8 carbon atoms each and Y is a radical corresponding to the ring opening reagent Y-M wherein M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, provided that the totality of such segments in the polymer contain from about 20 to 100 mole percent of type I units of which at least 60 percent are joined directly to one another so as to provide uninterrupted chains of at least 6 such units, 0 to 80 mole percent of types II and IV units combined and 0 to 20 mole percent of type III units.

Claim 18

A compatible blend of (a) a polymer according to claim 1 and (b) a second polymer selected from polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, epoxy resins and polyesters.