Synthesis of poly (arylene ether)-poly(organosiloxane) copolymers

• Main Authors: Cella, James A, Liska, Juraj, Ulery, Victoria L, Yeager, Gary W, Nye, Susan Adams, Guo, Hua, Singh, Navjot
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.01.2002

The present invention is directed to poly(arylene ether) copolymers, and in particular to poly(phenylene ether)-poly(organosiloxane) copolymers and methods for the synthesis thereof. A method comprising(a) synthesis of a poly(arylene ether) having the structure (1) wherein m is an integer having an average value in the range from about 3 to about 300;(b) solution functionalization of polymer (1) to form functionalized poly(arylene ether) having the structure (2) wherein X is a reactive functional group selected from the group consisting of anhydride, hydroxyl, epoxy, carboxyl, -ROH, RCOR, -RCH CH, or vinyl, wherein Ris a primary or secondary divalent alkyl or haloalky group having from 1 to 20 carbons, or an aryl group and Ris a primary or secondary alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbons; and Qis hydrogen, X, or a mixture thereof;(c) reaction of functionalized poly(arylene ether) (2) with a poly(organosiloxane) having structure (3): wherein x is zero or one and Y is a functional group reactive with X, selected from the group consisting of -OH, -CH CH, epoxy, amino, carboxy, -C(O)CHOH, or hydrogen, to form a poly(arylene ether)-poly(siloxane) copolymer, wherein the functionalization is in solution, and copolymer synthesis and isolation are effected by first solution and then melt copolymerization.