Polymer compositions and use thereof as pour point depressants in paraffin-containing hydrocarbon oils

A method of lowering the intrinsic pour point of polymer compositions by free-radically polymerizing

• A) 95-40% by weight of a monomer mixture containing at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having a linear C16-C40-alkyl radical in an amount of 65-98% by weight, based on the total weight of the monomer mixture A), in the presence of
• B) 5-60% by weight of at least one ethylene copolymer, wherein 2% to 35% by weight, based on the total weight of monomer mixture A), of at least one comonomer Aii of the general formula (2),
• wherein
• R3 is hydrogen or methyl,
• R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen, a C1-C20-alkyl radical, a C1-C4-alkylaryl radical, an oxy-C1-C6-alkyl radical or a cyano, nitro, halogen or sulfonate group,
• X is oxygen or NR9,
• A is an alkylene radical having 2 to 6 carbon atoms,
• n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 10, with the proviso that, when n=1, Y is not a single bond between the aromatic system and the oxygen of the oxyalkylene group,
• Y is an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenylene group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, a group of the formula —C(═O)—R10—, a single bond between the aromatic system and the oxygen of the oxyalkylene group or of the polyoxyalkylene group or, when n is 0, is a single bond between the aromatic system and X,
• R9 is hydrogen or a C1-C20-alkyl radical and
• R10 is a single bond, an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkenylene group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms,
• is added to monomer mixture A) prior to the free-radical polymerization.

D) A method for lowering the intrinsic pour point of polymer compositions that are the product of a polymerization of alkyl (meth)acrylates Ai) in the presence of ethylene copolymers B), wherein Aii) is used in an amount of 2% to 35% by weight, based on the total weight of the monomer mixture of Ai) and Aii), together with 65-98% by weight of Ai) in a free-radical polymerization of

• A) 95-40% by weight of the monomer mixture of Ai) and Aii), in the presence of
• B) 5-60% by weight of at least one ethylene copolymer, and
• wherein
• Ai) contains at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having a linear C16-C40-alkyl radical, and
• Aii) is at least one comonomer of the general formula (2),
• wherein
• R3 is hydrogen or methyl,
• R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen, a C1-C20-alkyl radical, a C1-C4-alkylaryl radical, an oxy-C1-C6-alkyl radical or a cyano, nitro, halogen or sulfonate group,
• X is oxygen or NR9,
• A is an alkylene radical having 2 to 6 carbon atoms,
• n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 10, with the proviso that, when n=1, Y is not a single bond between the aromatic system and the oxygen of the oxyalkylene group,
• Y is an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenylene group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, a group of the formula —C(═O)—R10—, a single bond between the aromatic system and the oxygen of the oxyalkylene group or of the polyoxyalkylene group or, when n is 0, is a single bond between the aromatic system and X,
• R9 is hydrogen or a C1-C20-alkyl radical and
• R10 is a single bond, an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkenylene group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms.