Aromatic polymers containing ketone groups

Claim 2

A thermoplastic linear terpolymer consisting essentially of recurring units of the formulae: ##STR14## wherein R is independently hydrogen, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, or C 4 to C 8 cycloalkyl, a is an integer of 0 to 4, Z is independently ##STR15## --SO--, --S--, --SO 2 --, --O--, alkylene, cycloalkylene, arylene, alkylidene, or cycloalkylidene containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms, with the proviso that Z cannot be ##STR16## when the connecting ether bonds are in the para position to Z, n is independently an integer of from 1 to 5; said units (I), (II), and (III) being attached to each other by an --O-- bond.

Claim 3

A polymer as defined in claim 1 wherein unit (I) has the formula: ##STR17##

Claim 4

A polymer as defined in claim 1 wherein unit (II) has the formula ##STR18##

Claim 5

A polymer as defined in claim 1 wherein unit (III) has the formula: ##STR19##

Claim 6

A thermoplastic linear polymer containing recurring units of the formulae: ##STR20## said units being attached to each other by an --O-- bond.

Claim 7

A thermoplastic linear polymer containing recurring units of the formulae: ##STR20## said units being attached to each other by an --O-- bond.

Claim 8

A process for preparing a thermoplastic linear terpolymer consisting essentially of recurring units of the following formulae: ##STR21## wherein R is independently hydrogen, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, or C 4 to C 8 cycloalkyl, a is an integer of 0 to 4, Z is independently ##STR22## --SO--, --S--, --SO 2 --, --O--, alkylene, arylene, cycloalkylene, alkylidene, or cycloalkylidene containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms, with the proviso that Z cannot be ##STR23## when the connecting ether bonds are in the para position to Z; n is independently an integer of from 1 to 5; said units (I), (II), and (III) being attached to each other by an --O-- bond; said process comprising reacting substantially equimolar amounts of the OH containing monomers and Cl, Br, F or NO 2 containing monomers represented by the following formulae: ##STR24## wherein R, Z, n and a are as previously defined, and X is independently selected from Cl, Br, F, NO 2 or OH, with an alkali metal carbonate in a solvent mixture comprising a solvent which forms an azeotrope with water and a polar aprotic solvent, at a temperature of from about 120° to about 250° C., while continuously removing water from the reaction mass as an azeotrope with the azeotrope forming solvent to maintain the reaction at substantially anhydrous conditions.

Claim 9

A process for preparing a thermoplastic linear terpolymer consisting essentially of recurring units of the following formulae: ##STR21## wherein R is independently hydrogen, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, or C 4 to C 8 cycloalkyl, a is an integer of 0 to 4, Z is independently ##STR22## --SO--, --S--, --SO 2 --, --O--, alkylene, arylene, cycloalkylene, alkylidene, or cycloalkylidene containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms, with the proviso that Z cannot be ##STR23## when the connecting ether bonds are in the para position to Z; n is independently an integer of from 1 to 5; said units (I), (II), and (III) being attached to each other by an --O-- bond; said process comprising reacting substantially equimolar amounts of the OH containing monomers and Cl, Br, F or NO 2 containing monomers represented by the following formulae: ##STR24## wherein R, Z, n and a are as previously defined, and X is independently selected from Cl, Br, F, NO 2 or OH, with an alkali metal carbonate in a solvent mixture comprising a solvent which forms an azeotrope with water and a polar aprotic solvent, at a temperature of from about 120° to about 250° C., while continuously removing water from the reaction mass as an azeotrope with the azeotrope forming solvent to maintain the reaction at substantially anhydrous conditions.

Claim 10

A process as defined in claim 6 wherein the alkali metal carbonate is present in amounts of from about 0.5 to about 1.0 mole per mole of OH group.

Claim 11

A process for preparing a thermoplastic linear polymer by reacting 4,4-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone, 4,4'-dichlorobenzophenone, and hydroquinone with an alkali metal carbonate in a solvent mixture comprising a solvent which forms an azeotrope with water and a polar aprotic solvent, at a temperature of from about 120° to about 250° C., while continuously removing water from the reaction mass as an azeotrope with the azeotrope forming solvent to maintain the reaction at substantially anhydrous conditions.

Claim 12

A process for preparing a thermoplastic linear polymer by reacting 4,4-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone, 4,4'-dichlorobenzophenone, and hydroquinone with an alkali metal carbonate in a solvent mixture comprising a solvent which forms an azeotrope with water and a polar aprotic solvent, at a temperature of from about 120° to about 250° C., while continuously removing water from the reaction mass as an azeotrope with the azeotrope forming solvent to maintain the reaction at substantially anhydrous conditions.