Stabilization of polycondensation catalysts

Claim 2

The process for the preparation of a high molecular weight light colored, polyethylene terephthalate comprising carrying out the polycondensation step of the reaction at a temperature between about 200° C. and 300° C. under reduced pressure in the presence of a metal-containing polycondensation catalyst wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, germanium, tin and mixtures thereof and a stabilization composition which is the reaction product of phosphoric acid, meta-phosphoric acid, superphosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid or mixtures thereof and an aliphatic epoxide having between 2 and about 20 carbon atom.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the alkylene oxide contains between 2 and about 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the alkylene oxide is ethylene oxide.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein the alkylene epoxide is propylene oxide.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the metal containing polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of (A) and (B), wherein: (A) is a metal alkoxyl halide selected from the group consisting of M(OR).sub.a X.sub.b wherein M is at least one of titanium, zirconium, germanium and tin; R is alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkykl and haloalkyl having between 2 to 20 carbon atoms; a and b are integers having a value of from 1 to 3; the sum of (a+b) is equal to or less than the integer 4; X is at least one of F, Cl, Br or I; (B) is a silicon compound selected from the group consisting of: ##STR6## wherein W is CH 2 =CX-- or ##STR7## X is hydrogen or methyl and is methyl only when m is one; R* is alkyl or haloalkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R** is methyl, ethyl, butyl, acetoxy, methoxy, ethoxy, or butoxy; R is methyl, ethyl, butyl, methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy, or trimethylsiloxy; R' is methyl, methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy or trimethylsiloxy; R" is methoxy, ethoxy, butoxy, trimethylsiloxy or vinyl dimethylsiloxy; R"' is methyl, ethyl, butyl, or trimethylsilyl; Me is methyl; Z is methyl or W; Q is an NH 2 CH 2 --, NH 2 CH 2 NHCH 2 --, NC--, HS-- or HSCH 2 CH 2 S-- group; n is an integer having a value of from 2 to 5; m is an integer having a value of zero or one; x is an integer having a value of from 1 to 100; and y is an integer having a value of from 1 to 100; wherein the mole ratio of A:B in said coordination complex is between about 2:1 and about 1:10.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of monobromo tri(isopropoxy) titanate and di(isopropoxy) phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxysilane.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of monochloro tri(isopropoxy) titanate and di(isopropoxy)phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxysilane.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of dichloro(diisopropyl) titanate and di(isopropoxy)phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxysilane.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of monochloro tri(butoxy) titanate and di(methoxy)phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxysilane.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of monobromo tri(butoxy) titanate and di(methoxy)phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxy silane.

Claim 12

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of dichloro dipropoxy titanate and di(iso-propoxy)phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxysilane.

Claim 13

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of trichloro butoxy titanate and di(isopropoxy) phosphoryl-ethyl methyl di(ethoxysilane).

Claim 14

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said polycondensation catalyst is a coordination complex of dichloro di(isopropoxy) titanate and di(methoxy) phosphoryl ethyl methyl diethoxy silane.

Claim 15

The process of claim 5 wherein the aliphatic epoxide contains between 2 and about 4 carbon atoms.

Claim 16

The process of claim 14 wherein the aliphatic epoxide is 1,2-propylene oxide.

Claim 17

The process of claim 1 wherein the polyethylene terephthalate has a b-value of about 6 or lower.

Claim 18

The process of claim 14 wherein the polyethylene terephthalate has a b-value of 5 or lower.

Claim 19

In a process for the preparation of a high molecular weight light colored polyethylene terephthalate in the presence of a metal-containing polycondensation catalyst wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, germanium, tin and mixtures thereof the improvement which comprises adding a stabilization composition during the polycondensation reaction when the pressure provided by the reaction system is less than about 5 millimeters of mercury wherein such stabilization composition is the reaction product of phosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, superphosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid or mixtures thereof and an aliphatic epoxide having between 2 and about 10 carbon atoms.

Claim 20

In a process for the preparation of a high molecular weight light colored polyethylene terephthalate in the presence of a metal-containing polycondensation catalyst wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, germanium, tin and mixtures thereof the improvement which comprises adding a stabilization composition during the polycondensation reaction when the pressure provided by the reaction system is less than about 5 millimeters of mercury wherein such stabilization composition is the reaction product of phosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, superphosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acid or mixtures thereof and an aliphatic epoxide having between 2 and about 10 carbon atoms.