Copolyetherimides and phase catalyzed method for their preparation
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDaniel Joseph Brunelle
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Abstract
Copolyetherimides are prepared by the reaction of an alkali metal salt of a dihydroxyaromatic compound with a bis(substituted phthalimide) and a third compound which may be a substituted aromatic ketone or sulfone or a macrocyclic polycarbonate or polyarylate oligomer. The reaction takes place the in presence of a solvent and a phase transfer catalyst having high thermal stability, such as a hexaalkylguanidinium halide. Random or block copolymers may be obtained, depending on the reaction conditions.
Claims21
A copolyetherimide comprising structural units of the formulas ##STR6## and at least one of the following:
- ##STR7## wherein:
- A.sup.1 is a C.sub.6-20 divalent aromatic hydrocarbon or halogenated hydrocarbon radical, a C.sub.2-20 alkylene or divalent alicyclic radical, a C.sub.2-8 bis(alkylene-terminated) polydiorganosiloxane radical or a divalent radical of the formula ##STR8## each of A.sup.2, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is independently a divalent aromatic radical;
- Q is --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 --, --O--, --C(CF.sub.3)--,--C(O)--, --SO.sub.2 -- or a covalent bond;
- Z is --CO-- or --SO.sub.2 --;
- n is 1 or 2;
- and
- p is 0 or 1.
A method for preparing a copolyetherimide which comprises contacting, in a solvent and at a temperature in the range of about 125-250 C., (A) at least one alkali metal salt of a dihydroxy-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon having the formula HO--R.sup.1 --OH with (B) at least one first substituted aromatic compound of the formula and (C) at least one second substituted aromatic compound of the formula ##STR10## or (D) at least one macrocyclic polycarbonate or polyarylate oligomer;
- wherein each X.sup.1 is independently fluoro, chloro, bromo or nitro;
- in the presence of a catalytically active amount of a phase transfer catalyst which is substantially stable at the temperatures employed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.