Process for the production of poly(4-hydroxystyrene)

A process for the production of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) which comprises:

• a) acylating phenol with acetic anhydride to produce 4-hydroxyacetophenone;
• and
• b) acylating the 4-hydroxyacetophenone with acetic anhydride to form 4-acetoxyacetophenone;
• and
• c) hydrogenating 4-acetoxyacetophenone with a suitable reagent, for a sufficient time to produce 4-acetoxyphenylmethylcarbinol;
• and
• d) heating 4-acetoxyphenylmethylcarbinol, in the presence of a catalytic amount of an acid catalyst, at a temperature of from about 85.degree. C. to 300.degree. C. under a pressure of from about 0.1 mm HgA to about 760 mm HgA for a period of time of from about 0.2 minutes to about 10 minutes;
• and
• e) free radical polymerizing the 4-acetoxystyrene to form poly(4-acetoxystyrene) having a molecular weight in the range of from about 1,000 to about 800,000;
• and
• f) hydrolyzing the poly(4-acetoxystyrene) to form poly(4-hydroxystyrene) having a molecular weight in the range of from about 1,000 to about 500,000.

A process for the production of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) which comprises:

• a) acylating phenol with acetic anhydride to produce 4-hydroxyacetophenone;
• and
• b) acylating the 4-hydroxyacetophenone with acetic anhydride to form 4-acetoxyacetophenone;
• and
• c) heating 4-acetoxyacetophenone at a temperature of from about 54.degree. C. to about 120.degree. C. in the presence of at least a stoichiometric amount of hydrogen, and a catalytic amount of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of Pd/C or activated nickel in the absence of a solvent, for a sufficient time to produce 4-acetoxyphenylmethylcarbinol;
• and
• d) dehydrating the 4-acetoxyphenylmethylcarbinol to produce 4-acetoxystyrene, and
• e) free radical polymerizing the 4-acetoxystyrene to form poly(4-acetoxystyrene) having a molecular weight in the range of from about 1,000 to about 800,000;
• and
• f) hydrolyzing the poly(4-acetoxystyrene) to form poly(4-hydroxystyrene) having a molecular weight in the range of from about 1,000 to about 500,000.