Polyphenylene ether(s) prodn. by oxidative coupling of phenol(s) - in presence of catalyst comprising copper salt and substd. pyridine, tert.-butylamine, piperidine, pyrrolidine or piperazine

摘要

Process is for prodn. of high-mol. wt. polyphenylene ethers. (I) from monohydric phenols with alkyl or aryl substits. in the 2 ortho positions or also in one meta position but not in the para position (II), by oxidative coupling with oxygen at 20-60 deg.C in the presence of a complex catalyst consisting of a Cu salt and an organic amine (III), in a 6-10C aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, and working up the polycondensate soln. obtd.; the novelty is that (III) is an amine of formula (I)-(V) (where R1-R6 = (1-(r-methylpiperidinyl) or Ph-CH2CH2CH2-; R2 = 1-2C alkyl; R3, R4, R5, R6 = H or 1-4C alkyl). Pref. (III) is piperazine or N,N'-dimethylpiperazine. USE/ADVANTAGE - (I) are used for prodn. of moulded components. The process enables the prodn. of high-mol. wt. (I) in a relatively short reaction time (w.r.t. prior-art processes), with smaller amts. of coloured by-prods., etc..