Process for the preparation of polyarylene sulphides

A process for preparing a polyarylene sulphide which consists essentially of reacting

• (a) dihalogenobenzene consisting of 50 to 100 mol % of a compound of the formula ##STR6## or a compound of the formula ##STR7## or a mixture thereof and 0 to 50 mol % of a compound of the formula ##STR8## wherein X is halogen and each R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, alkaryl having 7 to 24 carbon atoms and aralkyl having 7 to 24 carbon atoms or two of said R groups are selected from the aforesaid group and the other two are linked together to form an aromatic or heterocyclic ring or two of said R groups are linked together to form an aromatic or heterocyclic ring and the other two R groups are also linked together to form an aromatic or heterocyclic ring with the proviso that at least one R is other than hydrogen and
• (b) 0 to 3.0 mol % based on the dihalogenobenzene content of a polyhalogeno aromatic compound of the formula
• ArX.sub.n (IV)
• wherein Ar is an aromatic or heterocyclic radical with 6 to 24 carbon atoms, X is halogen and n is .gtoreq.3 with
• (c) an alkyl metal sulphide in
• (d) a polar solvent in the presence of
• (e) 0.05-2.0 mol of alkali metal fluoride per mol of alkali metal sulphide, said alkali metal fluoride being selected from the group consisting of sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride and mixtures thereof, for a polycondensation time of up to 30 hours and at a polycondensation temperature of between 160.degree. to 295.degree. C., the molar ratio of (a) to (c) being in the range from 0.85:1 to 1.15:1 and the molar ratio of (c) to (d) being in the range of from 1:2 to 1:15.