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US 2003/0199641 A1Published application
Anhydrous, liquid phase process for preparing hydroxyl containing polymers of enhanced purity
AssigneeChem First Electronic Materials L.P.
InventorsMichael T. Sheehan, James R. Sounik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An anhydrous, liquid phase process for preparing hydroxyl containing polymers of enhanced purity comprising the steps of polymerization, purification, transesterification, purification, catalyst removal, and solvent exchange. The resultant polymer in solution can be used directly, without further processing steps, to prepare a photoresist composition.
Claims42
A liquid phase process for preparing an anhydrous and pure hydroxyl containing polymer in solution and which comprises the steps of:
- (A) polymerizing a monomer or monomers selected from the group consisting of substituted styrene alkyl acrylates, ethylenically unsaturated co-polymerizable monomer or monomers and mixtures thereof in a first solvent in the presence of an initiator for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a polymer and first solvent mixture;
- (B) purifying the polymer and first solvent mixture by fractionation wherein additional first solvent is added to said mixture, said mixture is heated and/or stirred, the mixture is allowed to settle, the first solvent is decanted, and further first solvent is added, and repeating this fractionation at least once more;
- (C) transesterifying said purified mixture of step (B) wherein said mixture is refluxed at the boiling point of said first solvent in the presence of a catalyst for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a reaction mixture containing a hydroxyl containing polymer and first solvent;
- (D) purifying said reaction mixture from step (C) wherein a second solvent is mixed with said reaction mixture in which said second solvent is immiscible, allowing the layers to separate, and removing said second solvent and any dissolved by-products and low weight average molecular weight polymers dissolved therein;
- (E) passing said purified reaction mixture of step (D) through an ion exchange material in order to remove any catalyst therefrom and thus provide a substantially catalyst-free hydroxyl containing polymer solution;
- (F) adding a third solvent, which is photoresist compatible, to said hydroxyl containing polymer solution from step (E) and then distilling off the first solvent at a temperature of at least the boiling point of said first solvent for a sufficient period of time in order to remove substantially all of said first solvent to provide a substantially pure hydroxyl containing polymer in solution in said third solvent.
3 more elements
A liquid phase process for preparing a substantially anhydrous and pure hydroxyl containing polymer and which comprises the steps of:
- (A) polymerizing one or more substituted styrenes in a solvent in the presence of an initiator for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a poly(substituted styrene) and solvent mixture;
- (B) transesterifying said mixture of step (A) wherein said mixture is refluxed at the boiling point of said solvent in the presence of a catalyst for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a reaction mixture containing a hydroxyl containing polymer and solvent;
- (C) passing said reaction mixture of step (B) through an ion exchange material in to remove any catalyst therefrom and thus provide a substantially catalyst-free hydroxyl containing polymer solution;
- (D) adding a second solvent to said hydroxyl containing polymer solution from step (C) and then distilling off the first solvent at a temperature of at least the boiling point of said first solvent for s sufficient period of time in order to remove substantially all of said first solvent to provide a substantially pure hydroxyl containing polymer in solution in said second solvent.
1 more element
A liquid phase process for preparing an anhydrous and pure polyhydroxystyrene and which comprises the steps of:
- (A) polymerizing a substituted acetoxystyrene in a solvent in the presence of an initiator for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a polysubstituted acetoxy styrene and solvent mixture;
- (B) purifying the polysubstituted acetoxystyrene and solvent mixture by fractionation wherein additional solvent is added to said mixture, the mixture is allowed to settle, the solvent is decanted, and further solvent is added, and repeating this fractionation at least once more;
- (C) transesterifying said purified mixture of step (B) wherein said mixture is refluxed at the boiling point of said solvent in the presence of a catalyst for a sufficient period of time and at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form a reaction mixture containing polyhydroxystyrene and solvent;
- (D) passing said reaction mixture of step (C) through an ion exchange material in to remove any catalyst therefrom and thus provide a substantially catalyst-free polyhydroxystyrene solution;
- (E) adding a second solvent to said polyhydroxystyrene solution from step (D) and then distilling off the first solvent at a temperature of at least the boiling point of said first solvent for a sufficient period of time in order to remove substantially all of said first solvent to provide a substantially pure polyhydroxystyrene in solution in said second solvent.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.