Halomethylated aromatic interpolymers

Abstract

A continuous process for the preparation of gel-free interpolymers from monomers comprising one or more halomethylated vinyl aromatic compounds and one or more Type III monoolefins is characterized by the use of a solvent or mixture of solvents in which the reactants and the interpolymers are soluble; a soluble Lewis acid or Friedel-Crafts catalyst, especially an organo-Group IIIa element halide catalyst; a reaction temperature in the range of -120.degree. C to -20.degree. C; and a conversion of at least one of the monomers to interpolymer in excess of 85 percent. The interpolymers may be crosslinked with nucleophilic reagents to produce elastomeric compositions; quaternized with nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorous compounds to give self-emulsifying latices useful as surface coatings or converted to sulfonic or carboxylic derivatives for the preparation of ionomer resins. The interpolymers are also versatile intermediates which enable the preparation by simple substitution reactions of a wide range of functional-group containing elastomers especially useful in adhesive applications, and as flexibilizers for brittle functional-group containing plastics such as epoxies and amino resins.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.