Process for recovery of catalyst from polymerization of polyphenylene ethers

In a process for forming a polyphenylene ether by an oxidative coupling reaction in the presence of a copper-amine complex catalyst comprising passing an oxygen-containing gas through a reaction solution of a phenol and said complex catalyst and terminating the reaction and separating the copper component of said catalyst by contacting the reaction solution with a chelating agent comprising an amino acid to form a chelated complex of copper and said chelating agent, the improvement which comprises separating the chelated complex from the reaction solution and contacting said chelated complex at a temperature of from about 50.degree. to about 70.degree. C with at least 0.20 moles per mole of copper of a reducing sugar in an alkaline medium said reducing sugar being selected from the mono-, di- or polysaccharides containing free aldehyde or keto groups not in glucoside combination with other molecules, to precipitate the copper in the form of an oxide.

In a process for forming a polyphenylene ether by an oxidative coupling reaction in the presence of a copper-amine complex catalyst comprising passing an oxygen-containing gas through a reaction solution of a phenol and said complex catalyst and terminating the reaction and separating the copper component of said catalyst by contacting the reaction solution with a chelating agent comprising an amino acid selected from the group of nitrilotriacetic acid, glycine, polyalkylenepolyamine polycarboxylic acids, aminopolycarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, and the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or mixed alkali metal-alkaline earth metal salts thereof, to form a chelated complex of copper and said chelating agent, the improvement which comprises separating the chelated complex from the reaction solution and contacting said chelated complex with at least 0.20 moles per mole of copper of a reducing sugar in an alkaline medium said reducing sugar being selected from the mono-, di- or polysaccharides containing free aldehyde or keto groups not in glucoside combination with other molecules, to precipitate the copper in the form of an oxide.

In a process for forming a polyphenylene ether by an oxidative coupling reaction in the presence of a copper-amine complex catalyst comprising passing an oxygen-containing gas through a reaction solution of a phenol and said complex catalyst and terminating the reaction and separating the copper component of said catalyst by contacting the reaction solution with a chelating agent comprising an amino acid selected from the group of nitrilotriacetic acid, glycine, polyalkylenepolyamine polycarboxylic acids, aminopolycarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, and the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or mixed alkali metal-alkaline earth metal salts thereof, to form a chelated complex of copper and said chelating agent, the improvement which comprises separating the chelated complex from the reaction solution and contacting said chelated complex at a temperature of from about 50.degree. to about 70.degree. C with at least 0.20 moles per mole of copper of a reducing sugar in an alkaline medium, said reducing sugar being selected from the mono-, di- or polysaccharides containing free aldehyde or keto groups not in glucoside combination with other molecules, to precipitate the copper in the form of an oxide.