Saponification of ethylene copolymers suspended in ketone

In a process for the production of ethylene copolymers comprising by weight

• (1) more than 60% polyethylene,
• (2) 0 to 20% polyesters of C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 alkenecarboxylic acids with C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 primary alcohols,
• (3) 1 to 20% C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 polyalkenecarboxylic acids, ps comprising saponifying a feedstock comprising by weight a granular polymer or
• (a) at least 50% ethylene,
• (b) 2 to 50% esters of C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 alkenecarboxylic acids with C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 primary alcohols,
• (c) 0 to 30% vinyl esters of saturated monobasic, aliphatic carboxylic acids with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and
• (d) up to 3% C.sub.3 to C.sub.12 alkenecarboxylic acids,
• the improvement which comprises said feedstock having a particle size of 0.1 to 8.0 mm, and being suspended in a liquid phase consisting essentially of a ketone, there being 1 part of said feedstock to 1-10 parts of said ketone, said ketone being of the formula ##STR3## wherein R and R.sup.1 are individually a straight or branched chain alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and
• carrying out the saponification of the polyester of alkenecarboxylic acids with primary alcohols at 40.degree. to 75.degree. C. in the presence of at least one alkaline saponifying agent, while retaining the granular structure thereof.