Patent ID: 9018342
Filing Date: 2015-04-28
Classification: C08G,C08L

Abstract:
1. A poly(phenylene ether) copolymer comprising about 5 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-phenylphenol and 60 to about 95 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol, wherein the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer has a weight average molecular weight of 8,000 to about 200,000 atomic mass units, as measured by gel permeation chromatography; and wherein the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer comprises: wherein the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer is prepared by a process comprising: oxidatively copolymerizing a monomer mixture comprising about 5 to 40 mole percent 2-phenylphenol and about 60 to about 95 mole percent 2,6-dimethylphenol in the presence of a solvent, molecular oxygen, and a polymerization catalyst comprising a metal ion and at least one amine ligand to form a solution of the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer in the solvent, wherein a ratio of total moles of 2-phenylphenol and 2,6-dimethylphenol to moles of metal ion is about 20:1 to about 200:1; and wherein a ratio of moles of amine groups in the amine ligands to moles metal ion is about 1:1 to about 5:1.