Preparation of copolymers of carbon monoxide and olefinically unsaturated compounds

Abstract

A process for the preparation of copolymers of carbon monoxide and olefinically unsaturated compounds in the presence of an aprotic solvent and a catalyst system consisting essentially of: (a) a Group VIII metal, (b) an acid or an anion thereof having a pKa of less than 2, and (c) a phosphorus bidentate ligand of the general formula R.sup.1 R.sup.2 P-R-P-R.sup.1 R.sup.2, wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent identical or different aliphatic alkyl groups and R is a divalent organic bridging group containing at least two carbon atoms in the bridge connecting the two phosphorus atoms, wherein the copolymerization is carried out in the additional presence of hydrogen, while the molar ratio of catalyst component (c) to catalyst component (a) is in the range of from 1 to 10.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.