Process for the copolymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsPhil M. Stricklen, Daniel M. Hasenberg, Patrick Rooney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the copolymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene and at least one alpha olefin under batch polymerization conditions at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. wherein 4-methyl-1-pentene is initially polymerized in the absence of comonomer and then comonomer is added to the reaction vessel to permit copolymer formation, the improvement comprising initially forming 4-methyl-1-pentene homopolymer in an amount sufficient to reduce the solubility of the later formed copolymer at the polymerization temperature, said homopolymer being no more than about 5 weight percent of the end product copolymer. Also the products of such polymerizations are disclosed.
Claims1
In a batch particle form polymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene and at least one other alpha-olefin in a polymerization liquid diluent consisting essentially of 4-methyl-1-pentene, the improvement comprising
- (1) charging 4-methyl-1-pentene, catalyst, and cocatalyst to the polymerization vessel, wherein said catalyst consists essentially of titanium trichloride and said cocatalyst consists essentially of a dialkylaluminum halide,
- (2) carrying out homopolymerization of 4-methyl-1-pentene to form 4-methyl-1-pentene homopolymer in an amount sufficient to reduce the solubility of the later formed copolymer in the polymerization liquid diluent during polymerization,
- (3) adding comonomer to the polymerization vessel while polymerization continues,
- (4) and continuing polymerization to form said copolymer, said polymerizations being conducted at a temperature of at least about 50.degree. C. and the amount of homopolymer formed in (2) being no greater than about 5 wt. percent of the end product copolymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.