Patent ID: 6472499
Filing Date: 2002-10-29
Classification: C08G

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of a poly(arylene ether) resin, comprising:reacting oxygen with a phenol in the presence of a metal complex catalyst comprising a catalyst metal to form a poly(arylene ether), wherein the reaction is conducted in an organic solvent, the phenol concentration is about 5 to about 15 weight percent of the sum of phenol and solvent, the molar ratio of catalyst metal to the phenol is about 1:100 to about 1:200, and the phenol has the formula wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and iodine; Q is a monovalent substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbon radicals having from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, halohydrocarbon radicals having from 2 to about 8 carbon atoms and at least two carbon atoms between the halogen atom and the phenol nucleus, hydrocarbonoxy radicals having from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, and halohydrocarbonoxy radicals having from 1 to about 8 carbon atoms and at least two carbon atoms between the halogen atom and the phenol nucleus; Qâ€², Qâ€³ and Qâ€²â€³ are, independently, selected from the same group as Q and in addition halogen with the proviso that Q, Qâ€², Qâ€³ and Qâ€²â€³ are all free of a tertiary alpha carbon atom; recovering the catalyst metal using an aqueous sequestrant solution; and isolating the poly(arylene ether) by precipitation, wherein the isolated poly(arylene ether) has an intrinsic viscosity greater than about 0.8 dL/g measured at 25Â° C. in chloroform.