Direct removal of NI catalysts

Claim 1

A method is provided for treating water insoluble hydrogenated polymer solutions contaminated with one or more metals, selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, lithium and aluminum, said method comprising treating said solution with one or more dicarboxylic acids and an oxidant selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and aryl and alkyl hydroperoxides, thereby forming insoluble metal containing polymers and separating said metal-containing polymers from the polymer solution thereby removing the contaminating metal residues.

Claim 2

A method is provided for treating water insoluble hydrogenated polymer solutions contaminated with one or more metals, selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, cobalt, lithium and aluminum, said method comprising treating said solution with one or more dicarboxylic acids and an oxidant selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and aryl and alkyl hydroperoxides, thereby forming insoluble metal containing polymers and separating said metal-containing polymers from the polymer solution thereby removing the contaminating metal residues.

Claim 3

The method of treating a nickel-contaminated water-insoluble hydrogenated product made by hydrogenating an unsaturated polymer of the group consisting of conjugated diene homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl arenes containing a catalyst prepared from a salt or chelate of nickel reduced with an aluminum compound, said method comprising the steps of (a) contacting a solution of said product in a water-immiscible solvent with a dicarboxylic acid, said acid being present in molar excess relative to the nickel to be removed, and optionally an oxidant selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and aryl and alkyl hydroperoxides thus producing insoluble metal-containing polymers, then (b) separating the metal-containing polymers from the product, thereby removing the nickel contaminant from the product.

Claim 4

The method of treating a nickel-contaminated water-insoluble hydrogenated product made by hydrogenating an unsaturated polymer of the group consisting of conjugated diene homopolymers and copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl arenes containing a catalyst prepared from a salt or chelate of nickel reduced with an aluminum compound, said method comprising the steps of (a) contacting a solution of said product in a water-immiscible solvent with a dicarboxylic acid, said acid being present in molar excess relative to the nickel to be removed, and optionally an oxidant selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and aryl and alkyl hydroperoxides thus producing insoluble metal-containing polymers, then (b) separating the metal-containing polymers from the product, thereby removing the nickel contaminant from the product.