Process for the production of bifunctional polyphenylene ethers

Claim 1

A process for the production of bifunctional polyphenylene oxides: ##STR5## where R is the same or different at each position and is an alkyl moiety containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl moiety containing up to 6 carbon atoms, X is ##STR6## -O-, ##STR7## -S- or SO 2 -, where R 1 is hydrogen or an alkyl radical containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and m and n are integers of from 1 to 200, comprising, (1) introducing a metal compound catalyst into an organic solvent and oxidizing the catalyst in the presence of oxygen; then (2) adding a mixture of phenols, ##STR8## where R is the same or different at each position, and reacting the mixture in the presence of oxygen at a temperature of from -80° C. to 100° C. and at a pressure of 0-15 bar.