Polyethers and process for their manufacture

• Main Authors: STEPPAN HARTMUT, ERDMANN FRITZ, LUDERS WALTER, MESSWARB GUNTER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 17.12.1968
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONSONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP

1,180,841. Polyether copolymers. FARBWERKE HOECHST A.G. 9 Jan., 1967 [7 Jan., 1966], No. 1078/67. Headings C3G and C3R. Novel polyethers are prepared by copolymerizing a compound of the general formula in which R 1 stands for hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, halogenoaryl, halogenoalkylaryl, halogeno-alkyl, vinyl or -OH 2 OR 2 , wherein R 2 stands for alkyl, allyl, vinyl, aryl, alkylaryl, halogenoaryl or halogenoalkylaryl with a compound of the general formula in which R 3 stands for hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy or halogen, and in which R 4 stands for alkyl, phenyl, alkylaryl, alkylenedioxyaryl, alkoxyaryl or halogeno-aryl, in the presence of an ionic catalyst which brings about an opening of the oxiran rings under the polymerization conditions. The ketone component of Formula II is used in an amount of at least 0À1 mole per cent, based on the copolymer. Preferred catalysts are organic compounds of aluminium, zinc and magnesium of the formula MeR1R11 x-1, in which Me is a metal of valency x, R1 is alkyl and R11 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy or hydroxyl. Reaction temperatures of from 20‹ to 100‹ C. are used and hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and diethyl ether may be used as solvents. The reaction is preferably carried out in the absence of light. The resulting polyethers, for example in the form of sheets, films, coatings or shaped articles, are capable of cross-linking in the presence of free radical catalysts by exposure to light rays and of grafting reactions carried out on the polyethers in the presence of monomers polymerizable under the action of said free radical catalysts, particularly suitable monomers being acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, 2- vinyl-pyridine, vinyl chloride, styrene, vinyl acetate, vinyl formate, acrylic and methacrylic acid esters.