GB583172A - Manufacture of polymers containing oxygen - Google Patents

Abstract

Carbon monoxide is interpolymerized with at least one organic compound having ethylenic unsaturation at elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a peroxy compound or a derivative of orthosilicic acid, preferably in the presence of a volatile liquid. Organic compounds specified are ethylene, propylene, butylene; tetrafluorethylene; vinyl chloride; vinylidene chloride; vinyl acetate, propionate, isobutyrate, laurate and benzoate; methyl vinyl ketone, methyl isopropenyl ketone; styrene; acrylic and methacrylic acids, esters, nitriles and anhydrides. Suitable catalysts are benzoyl, lauroyl, succinyl, diethyl and diphthalic acid peroxides, peracetic acid, perbenzoic acid, potassium and ammonium persulphates, sodium and potassium percarbonates and ethyl orthosilicate. Accelerators such as those described in Specification 583,166, e.g. sodium bisulphite or dithionate may be used. The volatile liquid may be water, dioxane, benzene, toluene, iso-octane, cyclohexane, tert-butyl alcohol, methyl formate and methyl acetate. The process may be carried out batchwise or continuously. The products are wax-like solids and may be soluble in formamide, dimethylformamide, benzene, toluene, acetic acid, pyridine, dioxane, chloroform, nitrobenzene, phenol or aqueous sodium hydroxide. They may be modified by reaction with formaldehyde alone or in conjunction with urea, phenol or secondary amines as described in Specification 583,174.