# US 5,352,766 A · Preparation of copolymers

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- Number: US 5,352,766 A
- Document ID: US5352766A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/169,090
- Filed: 1993-12-17
- Granted: 1994-10-04
- Earliest claimed: 1992-12-31
- Assignees: Shell Oil Company
- Inventors: Philip J. M. M. de Smedt; Jan H. Mulder; Herman M. Muijs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5352766A

## CPC

- C08G 67/02: Copolymers of carbon monoxide and aliphatic unsaturated compounds
- C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS

## Abstract

It is herein disclosed process for the preparation of copolymers of carbon monoxide and one or more ethylenically unsaturated compounds by reacting the monomers under polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalyst system based on a) a source of cations of one or more metals of Group VIII of the Periodic Table, and b) a source of anions, in the further presence of a diluent in which the copolymers are insoluble or virtually insoluble and of a minor amount of one or more non-ionic surfactant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the preparation of copolymers of carbon monoxide and one or more ethylenically unsaturated compounds by reacting the monomers under polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalyst system comprising:
a) a source of cations of one or more metals of Group VIII of the Periodic Table, and
b) a source of anions, in the further presence of a diluent in which the copolymers are insoluble or virtually insoluble and of a minor amount of one or more non-ionic surfactants.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, or palladium.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A process as in claim 2 wherein said metal is palladium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein (b) is an acid or salt thereof with a pKa of less than 4.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A process as in claim 4 wherein said acid or salt thereof has a pKa of less than 2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said surfactant is non-ionic.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said surfactant is represented by the formula
CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--(CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 O).sub.m H
wherein n is an integer in the range of from 8 to 18, and m is an integer in the range of from 1 to 6.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A process as in claim 7 wherein n is an integer in the range of from 11 to 14, and m is 3.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said surfactant is present in an amount of less than 20 g/l of reaction mixture.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A process as in claim 9 wherein said surfactant is present in an amount within the range of from 0.7 to 5 g/l of reaction mixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said surfactant is added continuously during said preparation of copolymers.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A copolymer prepared by the process of claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

An article of manufacture prepared from the copolymer of claim 1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said catalyst system further comprises a stabilizing ligand.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said diluent is an organic protic liquid.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A process as in claim 15 wherein said diluent is a lower alcohol.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A process as in claim 16 wherein said alcohol is methanol.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1 wherein said surfactant is a member of the group consisting of alkoxylates of a monohydric alcohol or polymers of a vinyl amide monomer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

A process as in claim 18 wherein said vinyl amide monomer is poly(vinylpyrrolidine).

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

A process as in claim 19 wherein said poly(vinylpyrrolidine) has a number average molecular weight of from 5.times.10.sup.3 to 10.sup.5.