Method for the preparation of uniform, high molar mass cyclic imino ether polymers

Abstract

A method for production of a uniform polymer of high molar mass is provides, the method comprising: (a) polymerizing cyclic imino ether monomer in a first reaction mixture by cationic ring opening polymerization to produce a polymerized first reaction mixture containing (i) polymerized material and (ii) solvent and/or unreacted cyclic imino ether monomer; (b) separating solvent and/or unreacted cyclic imino ether monomer from polymerized material contained in the polymerized first reaction mixture; (c) copolyerizing by cationic ring opening polymerization a second liquid reaction mixture containing cyclic imino ether monomer and solvent by combining the separated unreacted cyclic imino ether monomer and/or the separated solvent with other components. Also disclosed are polyoxazoline polymers comprising at least 50 wt. % of repeating units derived from a 2-substituted 2-oxazoline monomer selected from 2-methyl-2-oxazoline, 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline, 2-n-propyl-2-oxazoline, 2-i-propyl-2-oxazoline and combinations thereof, said polymer having a DP of at least 250 and a very low dispersity.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.