ALFIN CATALYST COPOLYMERIZATION OF BUTENE-2 WITH BUTADIENE AND ISOPRENE

• Main Authors: BRUCE W. HUBBARD JR, EDWARD A. HEDMAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.01.1969
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP

Butadiene-1, 3 or isoprene and butene-2 are copolymerized in the presence of an Alfin catalyst comprising a complex mixture of organoalkali metal compounds such as alkenyls and alkonides with an alkali metal halide, to give elastomeric products with a minimum dilute solution viscosity of between 3-6 corresponding to high molecular weights such as from 5-17 million, and of 750,000 (viscosity) respectively, and high tensile strength and toughness. A catalyst described comprises a mixture of allyl sodium, sodium isopropoxide and sodium chloride. The pure monomers in liquid form are introduced to an inert hydrocarbon solvent, e.g. pentane, hexane and heptane, and the catalyst added, or alternatively the monomers in solution are added to a suspension of the catalyst in the solvent. The copolymers may be processed alone or with processing oil, or conventional fillers, moulded and cured, and a composition of copolymer, coal-dust, sulphur, lime, amines and magnesium oxide is described.