Process for the modification of aromatic polymers via Friedel-Crafts reactions to produce novel polymers and the use thereof

Claim 2

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers as semipermeable membranes useful for the separation of gases from a mixture containing at least two fractions into enriched fractions of each having the formula ##STR21## wherein each R is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic or a C 5 to C 7 cycloaliphatic radical, an aryl radical having the formula ##STR22## wherein each R 1 is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic radical and p is an integer of 0 to 4, each radical being free of a tertiary alpha-carbon atom; A is hydrogen, halogen, an aliphatic or an aryl radical; Y is a dilvalent oxygen or sulflur atom or a carbonate group; n is an integer of from about 75 to about 10,000; and wherein G is present in at least five percent of said polyarylene units and is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfonyl groups having the formula ##STR23## where R a is a C 1 to C 20 aliphatic radical; sulfonamide groups having the formula ##STR24## where R 2 and is a C 1 to C 20 aliphatic or aryl radical of the formula ##STR25## or a naphthyl radical where R 1 and p are as described above and phosphorus groups.

Claim 3

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers, as set forth in claim 1, wherein Y is oxygen, R is methyl, A is hydrogen and said halogens are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I.

Claim 4

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers as set forth in claim 2, wherein R 2a of said alkyl sulfonyl is hexadecyl.

Claim 5

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers as set forth in claim 2, wherein R 2 of said sulfonamide is methyl.

Claim 6

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gases in said mixture are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, water vapor and C 1 to C 4 hydrocarbons.

Claim 7

Novel substituted polyarylene polymers as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mixture of gases comprises carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen.

Claim 8

A process for the separation of gases from a mixture containing at least two gases into two fractions, one fraction being enriched with at least one of said gases and the other fraction being depleted in same, comprising the step of: contacting the gaseous mixture with a semipermeable membrane in such a manner that a portion of the gaseous mixture selectively passes through the membrane resulting in the enriched fraction being on one side of the membrane and the depleted fraction being on the other side of the membrane, said semipermeable membrane comprising a substituted polyarylene polymer having the formula ##STR26## wherein each R is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic or a C 5 to C 7 cycloaliphatic radical, an aryl radical having the formula ##STR27## wherein each R 1 is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic radical and p is an integer of 0 to 4, each radical being free of a tertiary alpha-carbon atom; A is hydrogen, halogen, an aliphatic or an aryl radical; Y is a divalent oxygen or sulfur atom or a carbonate group; n is an integer of from about 75 to 10,000; and wherein G is present in at least five percent of said polyarylene units and is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfonyl, sulfonamide and phosphorus groups.

Claim 9

A process for the separation of gases from a mixture containing at least two gases into two fractions, one fraction being enriched with at least one of said gases and the other fraction being depleted in same, comprising the step of: contacting the gaseous mixture with a semipermeable membrane in such a manner that a portion of the gaseous mixture selectively passes through the membrane resulting in the enriched fraction being on one side of the membrane and the depleted fraction being on the other side of the membrane, said semipermeable membrane comprising a substituted polyarylene polymer having the formula ##STR26## wherein each R is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic or a C 5 to C 7 cycloaliphatic radical, an aryl radical having the formula ##STR27## wherein each R 1 is independently a C 1 to C 8 aliphatic radical and p is an integer of 0 to 4, each radical being free of a tertiary alpha-carbon atom; A is hydrogen, halogen, an aliphatic or an aryl radical; Y is a divalent oxygen or sulfur atom or a carbonate group; n is an integer of from about 75 to 10,000; and wherein G is present in at least five percent of said polyarylene units and is selected from the group consisting of alkyl sulfonyl, sulfonamide and phosphorus groups.

Claim 10

A process, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said alkyl sulfonyls have the formula ##STR28## where R 2a is a C 1 to C 20 aliphatic radical.

Claim 11

A process, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said sulfonamides have the formula ##STR29## where R 2 is a C 1 to C 20 aliphatic or aryl radical of the formula ##STR30## or a naphthyl radical where R 1 and p are as described above.

Claim 12

A process, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said phosphorus groups have the formula --P--(R.sub.5).sub.3-q where R 5 is selected from the group consisting of R 4 and O-R 4 and mixtures thereof where R 4 is a C 1 to C 20 aliphatic or an aryl radical of the formula ##STR31## where R 1 and p are as described above and q is an integer of from 1 to 3.

Claim 13

A process, as set forth in claim 7, wherein Y is oxygen, R is methyl, A is hydrogen and said halogens are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I.

Claim 14

A process, as set forth in claim 8, wherein R 2a of said alkyl sulfonyl is hexadecyl.

Claim 15

A process, as set forth in claim 9, wherein R 2 of said sulfonamide is methyl.

Claim 16

A process, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the gases in said mixture are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, water vapor and C 1 to C 4 hydrocarbons.

Claim 17

A process, as set forth in claim 14, wherein said mixture of gases comprises carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen.