Polyester, adhesives comprising the same, and laminates and laminated hollow vessels made thereof

A method of producing a thermoplastic polyester comprising the constituent units represented by the following formulas (I), (II), (III) and (IV):

• ##STR25## wherein R.sub.1, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more divalent groups each derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, orthophthalic acid and a straight-chained aliphatic dicarboxylic acid containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms by removal of both carboxyl groups therefrom, R.sub.2, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more monovalent groups each selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic or alicyclic monocarboxylic acid containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms and an aromatic monocarboxylic acid containing 7-20 carbon atoms by removal of the carboxyl group therefrom, D, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more divalent groups each derived from a diol selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic diol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms and an alicyclic diol containing 6 to 8 carbon atoms by removal of both hydroxyl groups therefrom, and m, n, p.sub.1, p.sub.2, p.sub.3 and q are each an integer of 0 or 1, said constituent units being bonded together in the combinations of (I)-(II), (I)-(III), (II)-(III), (II)-(IV), (III)-(III) and (III)-(IV) and via only one oxygen atom in each combination, the molar ratio (I):(II) being substantially 1:1, the molar ratio (I):(III) being in the range of 1,000:1 to 100:5 and the molar ratio (III):(IV) being in the range of 4:1 to 1:10, said polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of not less than 0.5 dl/g, which method comprises polycondensing at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, orthophthalic acid and a straight-chained aliphatic dicarboxylic acid containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms or an ester-forming derivative thereof with at least one diol selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic diol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms and an alicyclic diol containing 6 to 8 carbon atoms in the presence of an aluminum compound of the formula ##STR26## wherein R.sub.5 is a monovalent group derived from an aliphatic, alicyclic or monocyclic aromatic alcohol by removal of the hydroxyl group therefrom, R.sub.6 is a monovalent group derived from an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an alicyclic monocarboxylic acid containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms, an aromatic monocarboxylic acid containing 7 to 20 carbon atoms, a monoester of a dicarboxylic acid corresponding to any of such monocarboxylic acids or a mono alkali metal salt of a dicarboxylic acid corresponding to any of such monocarboxylic acids by removal of the free carboxyl group, R.sub.7 is a methyl or phenyl group, R.sub.8 is a methyl or phenyl group or a monovalent group derived from an aliphatic alcohol by removal of the hydroxyl proton therefrom, i, j and k each represents the average number of respective groups bonded to the aluminum atom, i+j+k=3 and 0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.2, 0.ltoreq.j.ltoreq.3 and 0.ltoreq.k.ltoreq.3.

An adhesive consisting essentially of a thermoplastic polyester comprising the constituent units represented by the following formulas (I), (II), (III) and (IV):

• ##STR27## wherein R.sub.1, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more divalent groups each derived from a dicarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, orthophthalic acid and a straight-chained aliphatic dicarboxylic acid containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms by removal of both carboxyl groups therefrom, R.sub.2, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more monovalent groups each selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic or alicyclic monocarboxylic acid containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms and an aromatic monocarboxylic acid containing 7-20 carbon atoms by removal of the carboxyl group therefrom, D, in its repeated occurrence in said polyester, represents one or more divalent groups each derived from a diol selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic diol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms and an alicyclic diol containing 6 to 8 carbon atoms by removal of both hydroxyl groups therefrom, and m, n, p.sub.1, p.sub.2, p.sub.3 and q are each an integer of 0 or 1, said constituent units being bonded together in the combinations of (I)-(II), (I)-(III), (II)-(III), (II)-(IV), (III)-(III) and (III)-(IV) and via only one oxygen atom in each combination, the molar ratio (I):(II) being substantially 1:1, the molar ratio (I):(III) being in the range of 1,000:1 to 100:5 and the molar ratio (III):(IV) being in the range of 4:1 to 1:10, said polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of not less than 0.5 dl/g and a glass transition temperature of not higher than 30.degree. C.