Process for the manufacture of stable polychloroprene latex

In a process for the preparation of a chloroprene polymer latex by polymerizing chlorophene in an alkaline aqueous emulsion in the presence of an emulsifying agent and of a catalyst which provides free radicals, the improvement comprising

• adding to said emulsion, per 100 parts of starting monomer, from 0.2 to 4 parts by weight of an amide of the formula ##STR2## in which R.sub.1 is C.sub.3 - C.sub.18 alkyl or alkenyl or aryl or arylalkyl, or arylalkyl with the aryl and alkyl linked by a hetero-atom;
• and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are identical or different and are each hydrogen, a linear or branched C.sub.1 - C.sub.12 alkyl or alkenyl or an aryl or an arylalkyl, or arylalkyl with the aryl and alkyl linked by a hetero-atom or R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 taken together form a heterocyclic ring with nitrogen as the hetero-atom with the proviso that, if R.sub.2 = R.sub.3 = H, the carbon in the .alpha.-position relative to the group C = O must be substituted by at least one group having a positive inductive effect and, if R.sub.2 = H and R.sub.3 is an alkyl group, said R.sub.3 must possess at least two carbon atoms when R.sub.1 does not possess a group having a positive inductive effect on the carbon in that .alpha.-position relative to the group C .dbd. O of the amide, said amide being substantially insoluble in water at the concentration used, soluble in chloroprene and non-hydrolyzable by NaOH.