Process for the preparation of N-alkenylphenylmaleimides and N,N'-[alkenylenephenylene]bismalemides

Claim 1

Process for the preparation of an alkenylphenylmaleimide having the formula: ##STR28## wherein R is alkenyl having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, R' is hydrogen, halogen or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is a whole number of 1 to 4, or a bismaleimide having the formula: ##STR29## wherein R' and R" can be the same or different and are hydrogen, halogen or straight-chain or branched alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, n and m are whole numbers of 1 to 4, and D is an ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, which comprises the step of effecting reaction of an alkenylphenylmaleic acid derivative having the formula: ##STR30## wherein R, R' and n are as defined above for formula (I), or a linear dimer of like or different alkenylphenylmaleamic acid derivatives having the formula: ##STR31## wherein R', R", n, m and D are as defined above for formula (II), with at least one dehydrating agent which is a carboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of a tertiary amine, an organic solvent and a catalyst, the catalyst being selected from the group consisting of: sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, potassium phosphate, lithium sulfate, lithium carbonate, lithium phosphate, iron sulfate, iron carbonate, iron phosphate, nickel sulfate, nickel carbonate, nickel phosphate, cobalt sulfate, cobalt carbonate, cobalt phosphate, copper sulfate, copper carbonate, copper phosphate, manganese sulfate, manganese carbonate, manganese phosphate, sodium nitrate, sodium acetate, sodium butyrate, potassium nitrate, potassium acetate, potassium butyrate, lithium nitrate, lithium acetate, lithium butyrate, iron nitrate, iron acetate, iron butyrate, nickel nitrate, nickel acetate, nickel butyrate, cobalt nitrate, cobalt acetate, cobalt butyrate, manganese nitrate, manganese acetate, manganese butyrate, copper nitrate, copper acetate, copper butyrate, sodium pyrophosphate, nickel pyrophosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, lithium pyrophosphate, manganese pyrophosphate, iron pyrophosphate, copper pyrophosphate, acetylacetone complex of iron, acetylacetone complex of nickel, acetylacetone complex of cobalt, acetylacetone complex of copper and acetylacetone complex of manganese, to form the corresponding alkenylphenylmaleimide or bismaleimide.