POLYMER-BOUND ALKYL DIARYLPHOSPHINITE CATALYST COMPOSITIONS AND PROCESSES FOR MAKING SAME AND USING SAME FOR SELECTIVE CONVERSION OF ACRYLONITRILE INTO 1,4-DICYANO-1-BUTENE

Abstract: Polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst com­ positions having the formula I: wherein the trivatent phosphorus is substituted by one alk­ oxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix and wherein P ○-C₆H₄- is a polymer matrix containing aromatic groups such as polystyrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene and wherein at least 1% of pendant aryl groups of the polymer matrix are bound to phosphorus and wherein Ar′ is substituted by electron-donating groups such as alkyl, alkoxy, and N,N-dialkylamino, are disclosed. Poly­ mer-bound aryl dialkyl phosphonites having the formula II, P ○-C₆H₄-P(OR)₂ and polymer-bound diarylphosphinous chlorides having the formula P ○-C₆H₄-P-(Ar′)-Cl are also disclosed. Processes for making the polymer-bound phos­ phinites, phosphonites and phosphinous chlorides are also disclosed. A process for selective conversion of acrylonitrile into 1,4-dicyano-1-butene by contacting a liquid phase compris­ ing acrylonitrile with an effective amount of a polymer­ bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst having the formula I is also disclosed. Treatment of the liquid phase, prior to contacting same with the polymer-bound catalyst, with a drying agent comprising a polymer-bound dialkyl arylphos­ phonite and regeneration of the drying agent are also dis­ closed.

Description: DESCRIPTION POLYMER-BOUND ALKYL DIARYLPHOSPHINITE CATALYST COMPOSITIONS AND PROCESSES FOR MAKING SAME AND USING SAME FOR SELECTIVE CONVERSION OF ACRYLONITRILE INTO 1,4-DICYANO-1-BUTENE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst compositions having the formula I: EMI1.1 wherein the trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix, processes for making same and processes for using same as a catalyst for selective conversion of acrylonitrile into 1,4-dicyano-l-butene. The dimerization of acrylonitrile to 1,4-dicyano-1butene has been much investigated as a route to adiponitrile which is hydrogenated to hexamethylene diamine, the nylon 6,6 monomer. A process for the dimerization of acrylonitrile in the presence of phosphines (PR3) and phosphites (P(OR)3) to give a 2:1 mixture of 2,4-dicyano-1-butene and cisand trans-l,4-dicyano-l-butenes is disclosed in C.A., Vol. 62 (1965), 14508e (D. W. Henberg, et al.). Tetrahedron Letters (1966) No. 51, pp 6347-S1, (W. H. Dietsche) discloses that alkyl diarylphosphinites having the formula Ar2POR in the presence of t-butanol or aqueous acetic acid effects dimerization of acrylonitrile to 2,4-dicyano-l-butene (2-methylene-glutaronitrile) and 1,4-dicyano-l-butene. The dimerization of acrylonitrile (ACN) in the presence of various tervalent oxygen-containing phosphorus (III) catalyst compositions and a mixture of a hydrocarbon such as toluene and a proton-donating solvent such as 2-propanol has been disclosed in a series of U.S. patents granted to personnel of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). U.S. Patent No. 4,102,915 (Jennings et al.) discloses that a process for dimerization of ACN to substantially linear C6 dimers using soluble organic phosphinites or phosphonites as catalysts is effected in the presence of a proton-donating solvent and optionally a hydrocarbon co-solvent, wherein ACN and solvents are dry and free of oxygen and wherein at least one of the solvents has a boiling point higher than ACN and is capable of phase separation with respect to dimeric products, to enable unreacted ACN to be removed by distillation and the solvent(s) and dimeric products to be separated. U.S. Patent No. 4,316,857 (Gilbert) discloses a soluble phosphonite or phosphinite catalyzed ACN dimerization process that uses as'a solvent a mixture of a proton-donating organic solvent, an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in a specified ratio so as to facilitate product isolation such as by phase separation or liquid extraction. U.S. Patent No. 4,238,422 (Cozens et al.) discloses soluble aryl phosphinites and phosphonites useful as ACN dimerization catalysts wherein the aryl groups are substituted by at least one electron-donating group. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,138,428 and 4,190,616 (Jennings et al.,) disclose ACN dimerization process and soluble organic phosphinite or phosphonite catalysts having at least one aryl group substituted by electron-donating substituents. U.S. Patent No. 4,263,224 (Jennings et al.t discloses ACN dimerization process wherein an aryl phos phonite or phosphinite is added as a low-cost scavenging reagent to a mixture of ACN and organic solvent to remove therefrom residual traces of water or other catalyst deactivating impurities before contacting said reaction mixture with a more expensive soluble aryl phosphinite or aryl phosphonite dimerization catalyst. U.S. Patent No. 4,126,632 (Hogan et al.) discloses a process for the dimerization of ACN to straight chain 1,4-dicyanobutenes by contacting ACN with organic phosphinite or phosphonite catalyst having the formula R1R2R3P or (RlR2P)2R4 wherein at least one of the R groups R2 or R3 is alkoxy or cycloalkoxy and R4 is alkylene or alkylenedioxy in the presence of an inert proton-donating solvent and optionally an inert hydrocarbon co-solvent. While said Hogan et al. patent also provides examples of soluble phosphinites and phosphonite wherein groups R1 to R4 are alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, polyalkylene, etc., the patent also discloses without examples that groups R1 to R4 may also be part of a polymeric backbone, for example, polystyrene or polyvinylalcohol or be linked to an inorganic support, for example, silica or alumina, so as to form a heterogeneous catalyst. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,059,542 and 4,089,890 (Jennings, et al.) disclose that silica- or alumina-bound phosphinites or phosphonites as heterogeneous, i.e., insoluble catalyst compositions may only be used for the gas-phase dimerization of acrylonitrile at temperatures above 1500C. When the best phosphinite-bound to silica catalyst disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,059,542 and 4,089,890 was employed for dimerization of ACN in the gas phase at 170-1900C, only low conversions (7-20%) of ACN into an economically unattractive 3:1 (maximum value) mixture of straight and branched chain dimers and an unspecified amount of oligomers were observed. The processes using soluble catalysts disclosed in these ICI patents produce 1,4-dicyano-1-butene, the desired linear dimer, at moderate conversions, in high selectivity with lesser amounts of the branched dimer, methyleneglutaronitrile and oligomers. However, the ACN dimerization processes employing homogeneous, i.e., soluble alkyl diarylphosphinites substituted by electron-donating groups have the following disadvantages. At the end of each ACN dimerization run, before distillation of the desired dimeric products, the soluble phosphinite catalyst must either be removed by complicated extraction procedures or decomposed with water. The extraction procedures inherently result in appreciable losses of the soluble phosphinite catalysts for two reasons. Firstly, the differences in the solubility of the soluble phosphinite catalyst in the solvents are not infinite, and thus, several extractions of the catalyst are required. Secondly, extraction enhances the chances for contamination of the solvents, unreacted ACN and catalyst with moisture and oxygen, impurities which deactivate the catalyst. Decomposition of the soluble phosphinite catalyst by the addition of water substantially increases catalyst consumption and contaminates the reaction solvents (isopropanol and toluene) and unreacted ACN with water and/or oxygen. Thus, after extraction and decomposition procedures, the reaction solvents and unreacted ACN must be degassed and redried before the recycle of same. In the case of isopropanol and ACN, degassing and redrying are very costly and time consuming steps. One way in which the workup of the dimerization reaction could be greatly simplified, while simultaneously conserving the expensive catalyst, would be to support the catalyst on a polymer matrix. C. U. Pitman, et al. (CHEMTECH, Sept. 1973, pp 560-566) disclose that soluble catalysts, e.g., transition metal catalyst, may be bound to polymer backbones. See also Paper No. 29 by W. O, Haag, et al., in "Proc. 5th International Congress on Catalysis", Vol. 1, pp 465-472 (1973) and an article by D. D. Whitehurst in CHEMTECH, January, 1980, pp 4449. During the course of development of the present invention, phosphinites bound to organic polymer matrices via P-O-C bonds were prepared and were found to be impractical and inactive catalysts for ACN dimerization. Similarly, phosphinites bound via P-O-M bonds to inorganic matrices (M), as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,089,890 and 4,059,542 (ICI), possess a low activity and low selectivity and may be used only for gas phase ACN dimerizations. Although the above-identified ICI U.S. Patents mention the use of polystyrene-bound phosphinites, no working example of the use and/or preparation of same is given in the above-identified ICI U.S. Patents or in other published literature of which we are aware. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, we provide a substance having the formula I: EMI5.1 wherein the trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix, wherein & ommat; -C6H4- is derived from a polymer # -C6H5 containing aryl groups wherein at least 1% of the pendant aryl groups of a polymer matrix are bound to phosphorus and wherein said substance is substantially free of C=O, OH or -NH or SH groups and wherein Ar' is an aromatic group having the formula: : EMI5.2 wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd and Re are independently heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups selected from the group consisting of -OR3 and -N(R4, R5) or hydrogen or alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or EMI6.1 wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re are independently heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups selected cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two of said Rae groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are defined as hereinabove or wherein at least one of Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd and Re, is a heteroatom-containing electron-donating group selected from -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) wherein R, R3, R4, and R5 are independently straight and branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms and the remainder of said Ra-e groups are independently hydrogen or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove. In another aspect of the present invention, we provide a process for preparation of polymeric substance having the formula I, &commat; C6H4-P-(Ar')OR which comprises the steps of: (a) brominating at least about 1% of the pendant aromatic groups of a polymer matrix having the formula -C6H5; (b) contacting the brominated aromatic-containing polymer produced in step (a) with at least a stoichiometric amount of a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiNH2, LiNHR7, LiNR7R8 and LiR7 wherein R7 and R8 are independently alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 12 carbons; ; (c) contacting the lithiated aromatic-containing polymer prodwced in step (b) with aryl phosphorus compound selected from the group consisting of Ar'P(X)OR, Ar'P(OR)2 and Ar'PX2 wherein Ar' is an aromatic group having the formula: EMI7.1 wherein Rat Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re are inaepenaentiy N,Ndialkylamino groups -N(R4,R5) !wherein R4 and R5 are from the group consisting of -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) or hydrogen or alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two of said Rave groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are defined as hereinabove or wherein at least one of Rat Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re is a heteroatom-containing electron-donating group selected from -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) wherein R3, R4, and R5 are independently straight or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms and the remainder of said Rae groups are hydrogen, or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove, and wherein X is halogen and wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons; and (d) recovering a polymeric substance having the formula'C6H4-P(Ar')OR. In still another aspect of the present invention, we provide a process for the preparation of a polymeric substance having formula I, -C6H4-P(Ar' )OR which com- prises the steps of: (a) contacting a polymer containing aromatic groups with PX3, in the presence of an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer containing aromatic groups substituted with PX2 wherein X is F, C1, Br or I; (b) contacting the polymer containing the aromatic groups substituted with PX2, in the presence of an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, with an aromatic compound Ar'H having formula: : alkyl(C1-C10) or cycloalkyl (C5-C10) groups, hydrogen, straight or branched chain alkyl groups of 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons or wherein two of said Rae groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are independently hydrogen, N,N-dialkylamino groups -N(R4, R5) alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons, or wherein at least one of said Rae groups is a N,N-dialkylamino group, -N(R4,R5) and the remainder of said Ra-e groups are independently hydrogen or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having formula -C6H4-P(Ar')X; ; and (c) contacting the product of step (b) with a straight or branched chain alkanol having no more than 10 carbons or cycloalkanol having 5 to 10 carbon atoms in the presence of a base for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having formula p -C6H4-P(Ar')OR. The present invention also contemplates the following specific substances have the following formulas: #-C6H4-P[p-CH3OC6H4-]OR; e C6H4-P- t(CH3)3C6H2-]-OR; #-C6H4-P[(CH3)3C6H2-]-Cl and #-C6H4-P(oR)2 wherein #-C6H4 is derived from the polymer polystyrene ( #-C6H5) and wherein R is cyclohexyl, CH3-, C2H5- or i-C3H7. The present invention also provides a process for conversion of acrylonitrile into 1,4-dicyano-1-butene which comprises contacting a liquid phase comprising acrylonitrile with an effective amount of a polymerbound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst having the formula I: EMI8.1 wherein the trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix for a time sufficient to effect conversion to a stream containing l,4-dicyano-1-butene. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figures la and 1b are 31p NMR Spectra of preferred embodiments of a polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst of the present invention. Figure 2 schematically illustrates operation of the polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst of the present invention in a flow reactor. Figure 3 graphically illustrates the variation in the percent conversion of ACN vs reaction time for the polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst of the present invention operated as shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 schematically illustrates one synthetic pathway for preparation of a polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst of the present invention. Figure 5 schematically illustrates another synthetic pathway for preparation of a polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst of the present invention. Figure 6 schematically illustrates the reaction of a polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite with water to form a product that does not react with ACN. Figure 7 echematically illustrates the reaction of polymer-bound dialkyl phosphonite with oxygen to form catalytically inactive phosphorus [V]. Figure 8 schematically illustrates a preferred method of preparation of the polymer-bound dialkyl phosphonite of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite compositions having the formula I useful as catalysts for dimerization of acrylonitrile. The dimerization may be operated batchwise or continuously with high selectivity and high percent conversion by contacting a liquid phase containing acrylonitrile with a polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst having formula I, positioned in a fixed bed or in a flow reactor, for a time sufficient to effect conversion of ACN to a stream containing 1,4-dicyano-1-butene. Thus, the catalyst compositions of the present invention afford batchwise or continuous operation of the dimerization of ACN, facile product separation and recovery of same. In addition, the reaction medium of unreacted acrylonitrile and at least one inert and a proton-donating solvent may be recycled for further ACN dimerization while maintaining high selectivity to the preferred linear dimer, 1,4-dicyano-l-butene, with high percent conversion of ACN. Further, the immobilization of the phosphinite catalyst on a polymer matrix eliminates the need for the complicated workup procedures of the prior art and minimizes degradation of expensive active polymer-bound catalysts by exposure of same to water and air. In batchwise operation, the polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst is separated by a simple filtration; in continuous operation, no separation is necessary because the effluent from the flow reactor is free of catalyst. In either case, linear and branched chain dimers and oligomers of acrylonitrile are conveniently and easily separated from the unreacted acrylonitrile, at least one inert hydrocarbon solvent and the protondonating solvent by a simple distillation. The condensed volatile components - unreacted acrylonitrile, at least one inert hydrocarbon solvent, and a proton-donating solvent - can be recycled to a batch or continuous reactor without any further purification because contamination of the condensed volatile components by water or oxygen has been practically eliminated. The polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite of the present invention has demonstrated long-term stability. For example when the dimerization of acrylonitrile was effected continuously over 184 hours using a flow reactor packed with a preferred embodiment of the polymer-bound catalyst having the formula I wherein R is ethyl or isopropyl and Ar' is p -CH3OC6H4-, i.e., with &commat; -C6H4-P-(p-CH3OC6H4-)O-C2Hs or > C6H4-P(p- CH3oc6H4-)o-i-c3H7 the percent conversion slowly declined from 63% initially to 40% at 184 hours. The percent selectivity to linear and branched dimers was 90-91% (92% linear, 8% branched). In contradistinction, trimethylsilyl dibutyl phosphinite, a soluble phosphinite having a P-O-Si bond and serving as a model compound for the phosphinites bound to silica such as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,059,542 and 4,089,890, was prepared (see Example 12) and was tested as an ACN dimerization catalyst but was found completely inactive and was, in a relatively short time (3 hours), in the ACN dimerization medium, converted into a catalytically inactive phosphorus (V) species. Partially phosphinited derivatives of polyvinyl alcohol and of various hydroxyl-containing polymers were prepared and showed little or no activity as ACN dimerization catalysts, in agreement with the results of other studies conducted with 1,2- and 1,3-diols, which are not reported in the experimental section hereinbelow (see Comparative Example 22 and Table V). Fully phosphinited derivatives of hydroxyl-containing polymers required addition of proton donors, e.g., isopropanol or neopentyl alcohol, to the ACN dimerization medium. The presence of such proton donors caused solvolysis of the polymer-bound phosphinites and the formation of soluble monomeric phosphinites (see Table V for a summary of these results). Phosphinite bound to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), PVA cross-linked with TDI and similar OH-containing polymers such as 4-(2-hydroxypropyl)polystyrene and "TOYOPEARL", a trade name for a cross-linked PVA copolymer containing aliphatic hydroxy and non-hydroxyl oxygen moieties were found to be impractical or ineffective catalysts for ACN dimerization. The present invention also provides polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonites useful for lowering the water content of the liquid phase comprising acrylonitrile, inert solvent and proton-donating solvent and containing less than bout 30 ppm of water, preferably less than about 15 ppm to a value less than 5 ppm or even 2-3 ppm of water. The polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite of the present invention is conveniently contained in a fixed bed, i.e., a column positioned before the polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst as illustrated in Figure 2. The polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite may be prepared by the scheme illustrated in Figure 8 and recycled, i.e., reconverted to phosphonite by the scheme illustrated in Figure 6. The alkyl groups in the polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite of the present invention are aliphatic groups having 1 to 10 carbons and cyclic groups having 5 to 10 carbons. Secondary aliphatic groups of 3 to 10 carbons and cyclic groups having 5 to 12 carbons are more preferred. Isopropyl groups are most preferred. Primary alkyl groups are less preferred. Primary alkyl groups are less preferred. Tertiary alkyl and aryl groups, e.g., tert-butyl and phenyl, are to be avoided. By the term "% conversion", as used herein, is meant the % by weight of acrylonitrile (ACN) that is converted to total linear/branched dimeric, oligomeric and polymeric products. By the term 11% selectivity", as used herein, is meant the % by moles of acrylonitrile converted into linear dimers, l.e., cis- and trans-1,4-dicyano-1-butene (DCB-1). Thus, % selectivity is defined as twice the number of moles of DCB-1 divided by moles of reacted acrylonitrile multiplied by 100%. The process for dimerization of acrylonitrile using the polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst compositions of the present invention is now more fully described. The liquid phase comprising acrylonitrile that is contacted with the polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite further comprises at least one inert solvent and a proton-donating compound. In a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the liquid phase comprising acrylonitrile, at least one inert solvent and a proton-donating solvent and containing less than 30 ppm, preferably less than 15 ppm water, is contacted prior to contact with the polymerbound phosphinite catalyst, with a recyclable polymerbound dialkyl arylphosphonite which lowers the water content to 5 ppm or less. The polymer-bound phosphonite is conveniently contained in a fixed bed, i.e., column such as illustrated in Figure 2, and may be recycled, i.e., reconverted to phosphonite by scheme illustrated in Figure 6. The concentration (% by volume) of acrylonitrile in the liquid phase is not critical and is conveniently adjusted between about 5% and 50% to control the rate of reaction. Concentrations of acrylonitrile above about 50% in liquid phase lead to oligomer and polymer formation and should be avoided. When the concentration of acrylonitrile is below about 5% in liquid phase, the reaction rate is too low to be practical. Inert solvents are those compounds which do not react or interfere with the process or catalyst or reac tants of the present invention. The inert solvents found useful in the present invention are liquid, nonhydroxylic aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, including hydrocarbons such as benzene, xylenes, toluene, and polyalkylbenzenes. Toluene is the preferred inert solvent solely for economic reasons. Mixtures of liquid aromatic hydrocarbons and different amounts of liquid aliphatic hydrocarbons may be used without interfering with the process of the present invention so long as the liquid phase remains homogeneous. Thus, aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons such as petrolewm ether or cyclohexane may be used with sufficient amounts of aromatic hydrocarbon(s), preferably toluene, to insure the solubility of the proton-donating solvents. Solvents such as ethers and nitriles may also be used. However, the selectivity to the desired linear dimer is decreased when the liquid phase contains polar solvents, and use of such solvents is to be avoided. Proton-donating solvents such as aliphatic or cyclic alcohols are added to facilitate the selectivity of the dimerization process of the present invention. Proton-donating solvents of higher acidity than alcohols such as organic carboxylic or sulfonic acids, as well as thiols and phenols, interfere with the catalyst and must be avoided Secondary aliphatic alcohols having 3-10 carbons and cyclic secondary alcohols having 5 to 10 carbon atoms are preferred. Primary alcohols are found to effect dimerization of ACN, but the % selectivity is lower compared to the process employing secondary alcohols. Use of primary alcohols is less preferred. Tertiary alcohols interact with the polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst to form t-alkyl phosphinites which eliminate olefins leaving behind catalytically inactive secondary phosphine oxides. Thus, the use of tertiary alcohols is to be avoided. Since a fixed bed or flow system, preferably a flow system, is employed, only the ratio of proton-donating solvent, preferably isopropanol:inert solvent, preferably toluene:acrylonitrile can be specified. The ratio (volume) of proton-donating solvent to inert solvent to acrylonitrile in the liquid phase is about 0.2-10:100:1-7.5. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ratio (volume) of isopropanol to toluene to acrylonitrile is about 1:10:3. A portion of toluene may be conveniently replaced by cyclohexane and hexamethylbenzene (internal standards). The contact time is sufficient to convert about 595%, preferably about 30-80% of the acrylonitrile, into the desired dimeric product. Contact times may conveniently be from about 10 minutes to about several hours. The presence of water and oxygen interferes with the process or catalyst of the present invention and must be avoided. Thus, acrylonitrile, the inert and proton-donating solvents and reactor must be rigorously dried before use. The contacting of ACN with the catalyst of the present invention is performed under sub stantially anhydrous conditions, i.e., the concentration of water in liquid phase is preferably maintained less than about 30 ppm, and more preferably less than about 15 ppm, and most preferably less than 5 ppm. Conventional drying agents, such as CaH2, 3A or 4A molecular sieves, and polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonites hav ing thm formula II, &commat; - C6H4-P(OR)2, may be employed to dry thm liquid phase before the start of the reaction to a value less than 5 ppm. The dimerization process of the present invention should be operated under a dry inert atmosphere, e.g., nitrogen gas, to avoid contamination by oxygen, water vapor, etc. during the operation of the process of the present invention. Stabilizers normally present in acrylonitrile such as hydroquinones or phenol-type compounds are to be removed before contacting with the catalyst in the process of the present invention. In addition, scavenging agents, such as aryl phosphonites that are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,263,224, may be conveniently added to liquid phase reservoirs prior to contacting same with polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst of the present invention. Concentrations of less than one % by volume in the liquid phase of the scavenger agents are normally sufficient to remove chemicals such as H2O that would adversely affect the polymer-bound catalyst of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonites having the formula II, -C6H4-P(OR)2 wherein R is an aliphatic group of 1 to 10 carbons or cyclic secondary group of 5 to 10 carbons, preferably a secondary aliphatic group such as isopropyl, are used to lower the water content of the liquid phase that contains acrylonitrile, inert solvent, and proton-donating solvent, and that has been subjected to conventional drying by reagents such as CaH2 and molecular sieves, to a value of less than about 15 ppm, preferably about 5 ppm or lower, i.e., 2-3 ppm. The preparation of the polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonites is shown sche matically in Figure 8. See Example 7 hereinbelow. Levels of water in excess of 50 ppm in the liquid phase may be tolerated. However, lower selectivities and deactivation of large amounts of catalyst are to be expected. It is a special feature of the process of the present invention that the drying agent comprising polymer-bound dialkyl phosphonite reacts with water to form a polymer-bound alkyl phosphinate having the for mula e C6H4-p=o(oR)(H) that does not react with ACN but that may be conveniently reconverted into polymerbound dialkyl arylphosphonite by a sequence of steps outlined in Figure 6. It is another special feature of the process of the present invention that the sequence of steps outlined in Figure 6 may be performed without removing same from the container used to dry the ACN dimerization reaction medium. The polymer-bound phosphinate having the formula &commat; -C6H4-P=O(OR)(H) may conveniently be treated with a reagent such as PX3, COX2, wherein X is halogen, preferably PC13, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer-bound alkyl aryl-phosphonous dichloride having the formula P 6H4- P(Cl)2. The polymer-bound phosphonus dichloride is then treated with a primary or secondary alcohol in the presence of a base, such as pyridine, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite. The preferred alkanol is isopropanol. The preferred polymer is polystyrene cross-linked with at least about 1 to 40 weight percent divinylbenzene and having the form of micro- or macroreticular beads or clusters of beads. The reaction temperature for ACN dimerizations of the present invention is commonly in the range of about OOC to 1000C. Temperatures in the range of 500C to about 750C are preferred. A temperature of about 600C is more preferred. Reaction pressure is not critical and may be subor super-atmospheric as well as atmospheric. When the polymer-bound catalyst operates in a flow reactor, at temperatures above 500C, super-atmospheric pressures are commonly in the range of 1-5 atm, and preferably, about 1.5-3 atm. The polymer-bound catalyst of the present reaction comprises a polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite having the formula I, &commat; - C6H4-P(Ar')OR wherein the trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of a polymer matrix. Among the polymers of the polymer-bound catalyst found useful in the present invention are polystyrene and polystyrene cross-linked with about 1 to 40 percent by weight of divinylbenzene and in the form of micro- or macro-reticular beads or clusters of beads. Preferably, the polymer of the polymer-bound catalyst comprises polystyrene cross-linked with 1 percent of divinylbenzene. By the term "effective amount of polymer-bound catalyst", as used herein, is meant that at least 1% of the pendant aryl groups of polystyrene in formula I is substituted with phosphorus in the form of phosphinite. Conveniently, at least about 5 to about 100% of the pendant aromatic rings bound to polymer backbone are substituted by phosphorus. In the preferred mode of preparation of polymer-bound catalyst of the present invention, at least about 25-100%, preferably about 80% or more of the phosphorus bound to the aromatic rings was in the form of phosphinite. The aromatic ring (Ar') bound only to phosphorus in the polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite has the formula: EMI17.1 where at least one or the R groups is an heteroatomcontaining electron-donating group selected from the group consisting of alkoxy and N,N-dialkylamino or wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd and Re are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, straight and branched chain alkyl groups having one to ten carbons and cycloalkyl groups having five to ten carbons or wherein two of the R groups form part of a cyclic ring system and the remaining R groups are independently heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups selected from the group consisting of alkoxy and N,N-dialkylamino, straight or branched chain alkyl groups of one to ten carbons and cycloalkyl groups of five to ten carbon atoms. Aromatic rings containing at least one heteroatom-containing electron-donating group or three alkyl groups are preferred. Aromatic rings containing only H are less preferred. Among the heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups found useful in the catalyst of the present invention are alkoxy (OR3), N,N-dialkylamino [-N(R4,R5)] wherein the alkyl groups R3, R4, R5 are straight or branched chain aliphatic groups of one to ten carbons or cycloalkyl groups of five to ten carbons. Preferred heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups are CH30-, C2H5O-, i-C3H70-, (CH3)2N-, (C2Hg)2N-, and (n-C3H7)2N. Among the aromatic groups attached only to phosphorus that are useful in the polymer-bound diaryl phosphinite catalyst of the present invention are palkoxylphenyl, p-N,N-dialkylaminophenyl, 2,3,4,5tetraalkylphenyl; 3,4,5-, 2,3,5-, 2,4,5- and 2,3,4trialkylphenyl wherein alkyl has one to ten carbons and is preferably methyl. The polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalysts of the present invention contain at least 1% of aromatic groups pendant to the polymer matrix and bound to phosphorus, and substantially free of C=O groups such as e.g., aldehydes, ketones, esters and amides, or -OH, NHR or -NH2 or SH that may react with phosphinite phosphorus or otherwise interfere with acitvity of the phosphinite as a selective acrylonitrile dimerization catalyst. Preferred polymer-bound catalysts of the present invention includeC6H4-P(p-CH3OC6H4-)OR, include P(CH3)3C6H2-iOR; wherein &commat; -C6H4- is derived from a polymer which comprises polystyrene ( p -C6H5), preferably which consists essentially of polystyrene cross-linked with at least about 1 weight z of divinylbenzene and more preferably polystyrene cross-linked with about 1-40 weight % of divinylbenzene and in the form of micro- or macro-reticular beads or clusters of beads; and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of straight and branched chain aliphatic groups having one to ten carbon atoms and cycloalkyl groups having five to ten carbon atoms. Preferred R groups are cyclohexyl, methyl, ethyl and groups having formula R1R2C(H)- wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen and straight and branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 9 carbon atoms such as isopropyl. The present invention also includes a process for preparation of polymeric substance of the present invention having formula I, i.e., #-C6H4-(Ar')OR which comprises the steps of (1) brominating at least about 1%, preferably at least about 5-100% of the pendant aryl groups of the aryl-containing polymers defined herein- above; (2) contacting the brominated aromatic-containing polymer so formed with at least a stoichiometric amount or excess, e.g., 2-3 equivalents of a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiNH2, LiNHR7, LiNR7R8 and LiR7 wherein R7 and R8 are independently alkyl groups having one to eight carbon atoms or cycloalkyl containing five to ten carbon atoms; (3) contacting the lithiated aryl-containing polymer so formed with an excess, e.g., 2 to 3 equivalents of an aryl phosphorus compound, hereinafter called phosphiniting agents, and selected from the group consisting of Ar'P(X)(OR), Ar'P(OR)2 and Ar'PX2 wherein Ar' is an aryl group substituted with alkyl, cycloalkyl or heteroatomcontaining electron-donating groups described herein above preferably with heteroatom-containing electrondonating groups; and X is halogen, preferably C1, and R is a straight or branched alkyl group of one to ten carbon atoms or cycloalkyl group of five to ten carbon atoms; and finally, (4) recovering a polymeric substance having the formula I: &commat; C6H4-P(Ar')OR. Figure 5 schematically illustrates a preferred synthetic pathway for preparation of polystyrene-bound alkyl diarylphosphinites of the present invention. The bromination reaction illustrated in Figure 5 is conventional and results in almost exclusive parabromination and is described by S.E. Jacobson, et al., in JACS, 1979, 101, 6938, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The reaction with a lithium compound which is preferably methyl or n-butyl lithium is performed in inert hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene or heptane at 50750C for 3 hrs. See, for example, M.J. Farrall, et al., in J. Org. Chem., 1976, 41, 3877. Since lithium reacts with carbon-halogen bonds, the presence of carbon-halogen bonds and double or triple bonds (that add bromine) in the polymer matrix are to be avoided. Of the phosphiniting agents employed, the use of the phosphonochloridous esters, Ar'PC1(OR), wherein Ar' is substituted with heteroatom-containing electron donating groups such as alkoxy or N,N-dialkylamino, resulted in 50-100% of the phosphorus that was incorporated into the polymer being in the desired phosphinite form and is preferred. Solely for economic reasons, ethyl p-anisylphosphonochloridite is most preferred. Of course, other electron-donating groups in addition to para-methoxy may also be used. Phosphonites having formula Ar'P(OR)2 gave polymer having large amounts of P(V) and their use is to be avoided. Phosphonous dichlorides (Ar'PC12) were found to be too reactive and produced large amounts of tertiary phosphines from reaction with two different lithiated phenyl groups. Since tertiary phosphines catalyze dimerization of acrylonitrile with predominate formation of the branched-chain dimer, methyleneglutaronitrile, the use of phosphonous dichlorides is to be avoided. The reaction of the lithiated polymer with excess phosphiniting agent, preferably phosphono-chloridous esters, was performed at OOC or less, e.g., -780C and the reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature, with stirring. The polymeric substance formed was washed repeatedly with toluene, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and a THF-isopropanol mixture to remove all traces of lithium cations and bases which interfere with the ACN dimerization process. In another preferred aspect of the present invention schemetically illustrated in Figure 4, the polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst having formula I was prepared by contacting a polymer containing an aromatic group as described hereinabove with PX3, and an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst selected from the group consisting of TiX4, ZrX4, BX3, Sbg, SnX4 and A1X3 wherein X is halogen, preferably C1, preferably PC13 and AlCl3 under substantially anhydrous conditions for a time sufficient to produce a polymer containing aromatic groups at least about 1%, preferably at least about 5 to a maximum of 100% of which are substituted with PX2, preferably PC12 groups, combined with contacting the polymer containing the aromatic groups highly substituted with PC12 groups with an aromatic compound Ar'H having the formula: : EMI21.1 wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re are independently N,N- dialkylamino groups, -N(R4, R5) [wherein R4 and R5 are alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms] or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or hydrogen or straight or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two of said Rae groups form part of a fused cyclic system and the remainder of said Rae groups are defined as hereinabove or wherein at least one of Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd and Re is -N(R4, R5) wherein R4 and R5 are defined as hereinabove and the remainder of said Rae groups are hydrogen or alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons, in the presence of an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst (defined hereinabove) for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having the formula C6H4-P(Ar' )Cl further combined with contacting C6H4-P(Ar'Cl) with a straight or branched chain alkanol or cycloalkanol, preferably ethanol or 2propanol in the presence of a base, preferably pyridine for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having the formulaC6H4-P(Ar')OR, wherein R is alkyl having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl having 5 to 10 carbons. Among the aromatic compounds having the formula Ar'H found useful in the present invention are toluene, xylenes, e.g., m-xylene, trialkylbenzenes such as 1,2,3-, 1,3,4-, and 1,2,4-trialkylbenzene wherein alkyl is a linear or branched chain group having 1 to 10 carbons and tetralin. Trimethylbenzenes are preferred. Aromatic compounds containing groups such as alkoxy that react with Friedel-Crafts catalyst are to be avoided. By the term "effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst" is meant at least one to three times the stoichiometric amount of said catalyst required for formation of the desired product. The yield of polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite obtained in the esterification step of Figure 4 is deleteriously effected by the presence of a Friedel Crafts catalyst absorbed in the polymer-bound phosphinous chloride recovered from the previous step. To maxi mize the yield of polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite, it is necessary, prior to the esterification step, to effect removal of Friedel-Crafts catalyst, e.g., AlCl3, from polymer-bound phosphinous chloride such as by repeated washings with polar solvents such as THF or polar solvents in combination with a base such as pyridine. To achieve full activity of polymer-bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst prepared via Friedel Crafts scheme illustrated in Figure 4, it is advisable to remove the Friedel-Crafts catalyst, e.g., AlCl3, as fully as possible. Removal of the residual Friedel Crafts catalyst by use of proton donating solvents such as alcohols that react with phosphinous chlorides is to be avoided. During the course of development of the synthetic scheme illustrated in Figure 4, there was found an article by D.D. Whitehurst in CHEMTECH, 1980, 44, wherein a scheme is disclosed suggesting that phosphinous chloride bound to polystyrene may be formed by the reaction of polystyrene with C6H4PC12 catalyzed by AlCl3. However, in our hands, the reaction of 3,4,5 (CH3)3C6H2PC12 with polystyrene in the presence of AlCl3 at 600C failed to produce any polystyrene-bound arylphosphinous chloride. (See Example lla.) When the reaction of 3,4,5-(CH3(3C6H2PC12 with polystyrene was conducted in the presence of AlCl3 at 1000C, there was obtained a yellow-orange gummy solid that was contacted with isopropanol in the presence of pyridine; the reaction product was shown to contain no phosphinite phosphorus by 31p NMR analysis. (See Examples llb-c). The preferred polymer-bound catalyst having the general formula I is &commat; C6H4-P[(CH3)3C6H2]-O-i-C3H7 whereinC6H4- is derived from a polymer which comprises polystyrene ( #-C6H5) and preferably, consists essentially of polystyrene crosslinked with about 1-40% by weight of divinylbenzene and in the form of micro- or macroreticular beads or clusters of beads. GENERAL EXPERIMENTAL Infrared spectra, as either neat films or KBr pel lets, were recorded on a Perkin-Elmer 283 Spectrophotometer. Proton, 13C and 31p NMR were recorded on Varian T-60, FT-80A, and XL-200 instruments. Phosphorus chemical shifts are reported relative to external 85% phosphoric acid. Gas chromatographic analyses were performed on a Hewlett Packard 5710 using a 3' x 1/8" Porapak P column and a Hewlett Packard 3352B computer to monitor the retention times and peak areas. All dimerization runs and the preparation of the polymer-bound catalysts were carried out with the careful exclusion of oxygen and moisture. Transfer of moisture-sensitive solids was carried out in a Vacuum Atmospheres Dry Box. Volatile liquids were transferred on a vacuum line, while the nonvolatile, soluble catalysts were transferred via syringe in a stream of argon. Materials All solvents were reagent grade. Toluene and cyclohexane were stored over sodium-potassium alloy under vacuum. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) was stirred with lithium aluminum hydride, then distilled into a solvent reservoir containing sodium-potassium alloy and anthracene. The THF was distilled from the solution of the blue radical anion as needed. Isopropanol, tert-butyl alcohol and acrylonitrile were ref fluxed over calcium hydride (-40 mesh) for at least three hours, then distilled onto flame-dried 4A molecular sieves for storage. Neopentyl alcohol was sublimed onto flameddried 4A molecular sieves. After standing overnight, these reagents were sampled for water content (Karl Fisher) and found to contain < 30 ppm of water. Samples were taken periodically to assure that the water content remained low, i.e., less than 50 ppm. Pyridine was also dried over calcium hydride and distilled onto molecular sieves. 'tTOYOPEARLe 55", the trade name for a polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked copolymer containing aliphatic hydroxy and non-hydroxy oxygen moieties, was obtained i the form of beads as a water slurry in superfine (20 30 pm) and coarse (50-100 pm) grades from MCB, and was washed repeatedly with water and with acetone, then dried in vacuo at 1000C for at least 24 hrs. Polyvinyl alcohol (88% hydrolyzed, avg MW 10,000) was obtained from Aldrich. Ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer (40/60) type F was purchased from Kuraray Co., Ltd. Polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked with terephthalaldehyde and with tolylene diisocyanate were prepared as described by G. Manecke et al. in Makromolekulare Chem., 117, 725 (1976) and by S. Nozakura et al. in J. Polymer Sci., A, 10, 2767 (1972). Ethyl and isopropyl di-p-tolylphosphinites and ethyl diphenylphosphinite were prepared by following the procedure of Coezens, et al., as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,238,422. p-Anisylphosphonous dichloride and diisopropyl p-Anisylphosphonite were prepared by following the procedure of Miles and co-workers (J. Org. Chem., 1975, 40, 343). Ethyl p-anisylphosphonochloridite and other phosphonochloridous esters were prepared by the procedure of Steininger (Chem. Ber., 1962, 95, 2993) for the comproportionation of the corresponding phosphonous dichloride and phosphonite. Ethyl phenylphosphinate was prepared by following the procedure described in T.L. Emmick et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1968, 90, 3459. p-Tolylphenylphosphine oxide was prepared by following the procedure of M. Grayson et al. in Tetrahedron, 1967, Volume 23 at 1065 et. seq. EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Phosphinited Polystyrene. A previously prepared sample of brominated polystyrene beads (Bio-Beads S-X1, 200-400 mesh) containing 17.1% bromine (27% of the rings) was used in most of the preparations. See S.E. Jacobson, et al. JACS, (1979) 101, 6938 which is hereby incorporated by reference. The polymer (3.0 g, 6.4 meq Br-) was placed in an H-reactor and degassed. Into the other arm of the reactor was syringed a three-fold excess of n-butyl lithium in hexane under a stream of argon. This was concentrated on the vacuum line to about 3 mL, then about 20 mL of dry toluene was distilled onto the butyl lithium and about 10 mL of toluene onto the polymer. The n-butyl lithium solution was then filtered onto the polymer at -78 C, the mixture warmed to room temperature and then heated in an mil bath at 600C for 3 hrs. The suspension was then filtered through the glass frit in the Hreactor and part of the toluene was redistilled back onto the side of the polymer. After filtering again, the toluene was poured off under a stream of argon, then fresh toluene was distilled into the arm containing the polymer. The mixture was stirred briefly, then filtered, and the toluene poured out under Argon. Fresh toluene (25 mL) was again distilled onto the polymer, the mixture cooled to OOC, then treated via syringe with the phosphiniting agent (2-3 equivalents), warmed to room temperature, and stirred for one hour. The mixture was filtered and some of the toluene distilled back onto the polymer. This was stirred briefly and filtered again, then the toluene was poured off under Argon. The polymer was then washed repeatedly with THF and with THF/isopropanol (1/1) in order to remove all traces of base, lithium chloride and unreacted phosphorus reagent. Inadequate washing of the polymer leads to formation of Michael adducts of acrylonitrile and alcohol in the dimerization runs. A typical analysis of the phosphinited polystyrene from a preparation using p CH3OC6H4P(Cl)OEt as phosphiniting agent was: C, 83.2; H, 7.90; P, 4.32; Br, 0.11. Calculated for complete replacement of bromine with p-CH3OC6H4P(OEt): C, 81.0; H, 8.09; P, 5.3. A 31p NMR spectrum from one of the better preparations is shown in Figure la. The large broad peak in the 100-120 ppm region (relative to 85% H3PO4) was due to phosphinite phosphorus, by comparison to soluble reference samples. The peak at -18 ppm was due to tertiary phosphine, while the two peaks in the 20-40 ppm range were due to P(V) compounds, presumably tertiary phosphine oxide (Arbuzov rearrangement product) and perhaps phosphinate or secondary phosphine oxide. The other peaks were of unknown origin. Samples prepared using phosphonous dichlorides as the phosphiniting agent showed much larger tertiary phosphine peaks, while those prepared using phosphonites as the phosphorus reagent had very large peaks in the P(V) region. EXAMPLE 2 Dimerization Runs. In a typical dimerization run, hexamethylbenzene, an internal standard, (800 mg, 4.93 mmol) was accurately weighted and placed in a thickwalled glass reaction vessel. To this, ca. 0.37 mmol of catalyst (monomer or polymer) listed in Table I was added and degassed on a vacuum line. Next, the following dry reagents were distilled in on a vacuum line: 1 mL of isopropanol, 3 mL of acrylonitrile, and 9 mL of toluene. Approximately 1 mL of dry cyclohexane was accurately weighted into a specially designed vessel, then transferred on the vacuum line to the reaction vessel by means of a small U-shaped tube designed to minimize the distillation path and thus facilitate accurate transfer of the internal standard. The solution was then sampled under a stream of argon so that a gas chromatogram of the starting mixture could be obtained. The reaction vessel was sealed with a high vacuum stopcock and placed in an oil bath at 600C. At varying intervals, the reactor was removed from the bath, cooled to room temperature, and sampled under a stream of argon. Gas chromatographic analyses were performed using the Porapak P column and a temperature program starting at 600C, increasing at 80C/min. for 4 min., then at 320C/min. to 2400C and holding for 4 min. Reference standards were prepared using cyclohexane and hexamethylbenzene as internal standards. Cyclohexane was used to calculate acrylonitrile concentration and the hexamethylbenzene was used for measuring the concentrations of methyleneglutardnitrile and the cis and trans-1,4-dicyano-1-butene products. EXAMPLE 3 Long-term Stability of Ethyl Di-p-tolylphosphinite. This experiment was run in the same way as described in Example 2, but a larger amount of all of the reactants was employed, except for the catalyst, Tolyl2poEt. In this case, 30 mg of catalyst was used with 6 g of hexamethylbenzene, 6.7 mL of isopropanol, 7 mL of cyclohexane, 60 mL of toluene and 20 mL of acrylonitrile. A sample of this solution was sealed in an NMR tube under argon and heated together with the pressure tube at 600C. At intervals the pressure tube was removed from the oil bath and sampled in the usual way. At the same time, the NMR tube was removed. Analysis by 31p NMR showed all of the phosphorus in the pressure tube had been converted to P(V) after the dimerization has proceeded for 127 hours, due to repeated openings of the tube, whereas most of the phosphorus in the NMR tube had remained in the form of P(III). The results are summarized in Table II. EXAMPLE 4 Long-term Stability of Phosphinited Polystyrene. Attempts to run the dimerization in an H-reactor using the polymeric catalyst, ethyl p-methoxyphenyphosphinited polystyrene; filtering off the reaction solution, drying the polymer, and reusing it resulted in a rapid decline in the performance of the catalysts from one run to the next. This may be due to a number of factors, especially concentration of the dimers and oligomers in the presence of the catalyst. To avoid this problem, the dimerization was run in the same way as described in Example 2 with the soluble catalyst. Thus, 400 mg of phosphinited polystyrene was combined in a solvent reservoir with 6 g of hexamethylbenzene, 6.7 mL of isopropanol, 7 mL of cyclohexane, 60 mL of toluene and 20 mL of acrylonitrile, heated at 600C and sampled at intervals. At the end of the experiment, the polymer was recoverd and analyzed by 31P NMR spectroscopy: all of the phosphorus had been converted to P(V) apparently due to repeated openings of the tube. The results are summarized in Table III. Table I Dimerization of Acrylonitrile to 1,4-Dicyano-1-butene EMI30.1 <tb> <SEP> Time <tb> Catalyst <SEP> (Hr) <SEP> Conv. <SEP> Self <tb> (pTolyl) <SEP> 3PO-i-Prb <SEP> 3 <SEP> 28 <SEP> 85 <tb> <SEP> 21 <SEP> 85 <SEP> 75 <tb> Ph2POEtb <SEP> 3 <SEP> 9e <SEP> 80e <tb> <SEP> 26 <SEP> 49 <SEP> 81 <tb> <SEP> 72 <SEP> 81 <SEP> 76 <tb> (p-Tolyl)2POEtb <SEP> 3 <SEP> 36 <SEP> 96 <tb> <SEP> 24 <SEP> 89e <SEP> 91 <tb> (p-Tolyl) <SEP> 2POEtb <SEP> 3 <SEP> 25 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 24 <SEP> 87e <SEP> 9ge <tb> <SEP> P* <SEP> 3 <SEP> P-O-i-PRC <SEP> 3 <SEP> 23 <SEP> 68 <tb> <SEP> 24 <SEP> 77 <SEP> 75 <tb> <SEP> C6H40CH3 <tb> P*POEtc <SEP> 3 <SEP> 24 <SEP> 80 <tb> <SEP> 24 <SEP> 80 <SEP> 76 <tb> <SEP> C6H40CH3 <tb> P-POEtC <SEP> 3 <SEP> l <SEP> 80e <tb> <SEP> 24 <SEP> 68 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> C36H40CH3 <tb> P*- <SEP> > <SEP> Etd <SEP> 3 <SEP> 46 <SEP> 89 <tb> <SEP> 6 <SEP> 65 <SEP> 88 <tb> <SEP> 6H40CH3 <SEP> 12 <SEP> 82 <SEP> 85 <tb> p <SEP> S <SEP> Etd <SEP> 3 <SEP> 58 <SEP> 98 <tb> <SEP> C6H40CH3 <tb> Footnotes to Table I aConditions: 800 mg of hexamethylbenzene, 1 mL of cyclohexane, 3 mL of acrylonitrile, 9 mL of toluene, 1 mL of i-PrOH, T=600C, P=1.5 atm b100 pL C200 mg d500 mg results at low or high conversion are approximate due to uncertainty in integration of the G.C. peaks. fZ selectivity represents the yield of cis- and trans 1,4-dicyano-1-butene based on acrylonitrile consumed. Polystyrene cross-linked with 1 wt % divinylbenzene Table II Stability of Ethyl Di-p-Tolylphosphinitea Time (Hrs) % Conv. % Selec.b % P(III) 0 -- -- 83 13 35 94 82 21 48 97 82 35 64 98 79 43 67 91 - 57 72 92 76 127 68 92 63 aConditions: 0.24 mmol of catalyst, 6.0 g of hexamethylbenzene, 7 mL of cyclohexane, 20 mL of acrylonitrile, 6.7 mL of isopropanol, 60 mL of toluene, 600C in a sealed NMR tube. bSelectivity represents the yield of cis- and trans-1,4 dicyano-l-butene based on acrylonitrile consumed. Table III Stability of Phosphinited Polystyrenea Time (Hrs) % Conv. % Selec.b 19 20 67 26 26 62 44 36 62 67 43 58 91 47 53 aConditions: 400 mn catalvst: EMI32.1 wherein EMI32.2 is polystyrene crosslinked with 1 weight % divinylbenzene, 6.0 g of hexamethylbenzene, 7 mL of cyclohexane, 20 mL of acrylonitrile, 6.7 mL of isopropanol, 60 mL of toluene, 600C. Selectivity represents the yield of cis- and trans l,4-dicyano-I-butene based on acrylonitrile consumed. EXAMPLE 5 Acrylonitrile Dimerization using Flow Reactor. This Example was run in the apparatus illustrated in Figure 2. A flow reactor was assembled using two 0.9 x 30 cm glass, water-jacketed HPLC columns 13, 19, a piston-type HPLC pump 11 and a reservoir 2 fitted with stopcocks 4, 5 and a side arm 3 to allow addition of reagents with the exclusion of atmospheric oxygen and moisture. The exit of the second column 19 was attached to a pressure gauge 23, a three-way stopcock 25 and a graduated receiver 27. The inlet tube 26 to the receiver 27 was attached via a side arm to a mercury bubbler (not shown) which allowed application of 30 cm Hg pressure to the system. At least 20 cm Hg pressure is necessary to prevent bubble formation in the reactor column 19 and drying columns 13 and 16. The two columns were fitted with adjustable plungers and stopcocks at each end. A three-way stopcock 17 was used at the bottom (inlet) end of the column 19 holding the catalyst resin. The two columns were dried at 1500C, then placed while still hot in the port of a dry box. In the dry box, one column 13 was charged with 10 g of 16 mm pellets of 3A molecular sieves which had been activated at 2000C while being evacuated on a vacuum line, then allowed to cool under dry argon. The second column 19 was charged with 2.0 g (2.9 mmol of phosphorus) of the polystyrene catalyst bearing ethyl p-methoxyphenylphosphinite previously described in Example 4. Both columns were closed and removed from the dry box, then attached to the remainder of the system. Column 16 was not used in this experiment. The solvent reservoir was filled, under argon, with a degassed and dry solvent mixture of diisopropyl phenylphosphonite (20 pL), toluene (50 mL) and isopropanol (5 mL). The solvent mixture was pumped through-the columns at a rate of 22 mL/hr. until all bubbles of argon had been removed, then the water circulating bath was turned on, the system pressurized to 30 cm Hg and the temperature of the columns 13, 19 raised to 600C. The catalyst resin had swollen to about 13 mL volume. In a specially designed reagent vessel 1, was placed 150 pL diisopropyl phenylphosphonite. The flask was attached to a vacuum line and the following dry reagents distilled in: toluene (270 mL), isopropanol (27 mL), cyclohexane (20.6 g, 26 mL) and acrylonitrile (67.8 g, 84 mL). Vessel 1 was filled with argon, warmed to room temperature and the reagents thoroughly mixed. Vessel 1 was then attached to reservoir 2 via the sidearm 8 which was repeatedly evacuated and filled with argon. The reservoir 2 was evacuated and the contents of flask B transferred to it by opening the stopcock 9 above the filter 10. Pumping speed was adjusted to 7.8 mL/hr and this point was designated as time 0 hr. The effluent from the reactor was collected in 125 mL graduated receivers 27 which were changed periodically at intervals of 10-13 hrs. Evaporation of each of these samples at 350C (1 mm Hg) left an oil which consisted of the acrylonitrile dimers and higher oligomers. The samples were further analyzed by gas chromatography and by Kugelrohr distillation of the dimers [linear and branched at 80-100 C (0.1 mm Hg)]. Percent selectivities to dimers (see Table IV) were 90 91% a mixture of dimers (92% linear vs 8% branched dimers). At intervals, samples of the reaction mixture were taken using the three-way stopcocks 17 and 25 before and after the catalyst bed. Gas chromatographic analysis of the amount of acrylonitrile present relative to cyclohexane allowed calculation of the percent conversion. The percent conversion slowly declined during the experiment from 63% initially to 40% at 184 hours (see Figure 2). Additional batches of the reagent mixture were prepared and transferred to the reservoir when needed. Percent conversions were measured for periods when the flow rate was 7.7 + 0.1 mL/hr. At 184 hours the last reservoir of reagents had been consumed and a mixture of toluene:isopropanol (10:1) was added to purge all of the remaining reagents through the system. The combined collected fractions contained 109.64 gm of products, equivalent to 2.066 moles of acrylonitrile converted. This represents 714 catalyst turnovers. Results are summarized in Table IV and Figure 3. After about 30 hours of reaction, the pump had to be disconnected and a valve was changed. After replacement of the valve and reconnection of the pump, the reaction was continued but the percent conversion started to decline faster. It is believed that this interruption caused contamination of the catalyst by moisture and oxygen. It is further believed that if this interruption had not occurred and if the reagent mixture had been more effectively dried such as by use of polystyrene-bound dialkyl phosphonite (e.g., placed in column 16 as shown in Figure 2), the decline in the activity of the catalyst as measured by the percent conversion would have been lower. Table IV Acrylonitrile Dimerization Products Vol. Wt (residue) (dimers)b % selec.c,d Receiver mL g Wt.g Wt.g to dimers 1 103 88.9 9.76 8.87 91 2 98.5 86.2 10.91 3 84.5 73.2 9.14 4 84 72.5 8.09 7.33 91 5 80 68.7 7.11 6 73 62.8 6.62 7 77.5 67.5 7.01 6.31 90 8 80 68.6 6.86 9 98 84.7 7.79 10 80 67.5 6.01 5.45 91 11 91 78.2 6.82 12 73 62.6 5.32 13 94 80.3 5.22 5.57 90 14 94 80.4 5.97 15 120 4.92 Combined samples 1.09 Total 109.64 a After evaporation of reagents at 350C (1 mn Hg) b Isolated by Kugelrohr distillation at 80-1000C (0.1 urn Hg). C92% 1,4-dicyano-1-butenes, 8% methyleneglutaronitrile. d% Selectivity to DCB-1 = % Selec. to dimers x 92% (% DCB-1 in diners). EXAMPLE 6 Preparation of the polystyrene-bound phosphonous dichloride #-C6H4-PCl2 In a typical preparation, 1 gm (9.6 mmol) polystyrene resin cross-linked with 1 weight % divinylbenzene (Bio Beads. S-X1, 200-400 mesh) and 1.33 gm (100 mmol) anhydrous aluminum chloride (A1C13) were placed under an inert atmosphere into one side of an H-reactor, as described in Example 1, and equipped with a reflux condenser with an argon inlet; 12.5 mL (excess) of degassed PC13 were syringed, under a stream of argon, into the reactor which was then placed in an oil bath at 600C and stirred for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was degassed and filtered through the coarse glass frit and the filtrate poured off under argon. The polymer product was washed extensively with dry THF to remove residval AlCl3 and dried in vacuuo; yield: 1.7 gm, 31p NMR (swollen in CH2C12) 6 162 ppm (phosphonous dichloride). Phosphorus, 13.0% by weight, was incorporated into polymer indicating that ca. 75% of the rings were functionalized. EXAMPLE 7 Preparation of the polystyrene-bound diisopropyl phosphonite. One gram (4.9 mmol) of the phosphonous dichloride was charged under an inert atmosphere into an H-reactor which was then evacuated on the vacuum line. Fifteen -mL of dry pyridine were distilled onto the polymer and 1.2 mL (147 mmol) of dry isopropanol were distilled into the opposite leg of the reactor. The polymer suspension was stirred at OOC for 1 hour while the isopropanol slowly distilled over. The mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred an additional hour. The reaction was filtered through a glass frit, and the the filtrate was poured off under argon. The polymer was washed repeatedly with dry methylene chloride and dried in vacuo. The 31p NMR spectrum contained a peak at 162 ppm (broad peak) indicative of phosphonite phosphorus. EXAMPLE 8 This example illustrates the use of polystyrenebound diisopropylphosphonite of Example 7 as a drying agent in acrylonitrile dimerization using the flow reactor of Example 5. A water-jacketed HPLC column 16 is placed in line 15 after column 13 and before the catalyst column 19 of Figure 2. The procedure of Example 5 is followed. A lower decline in the % conversion after a longer reaction time is expected due to a more complete removal of water. EXAMPLE 9 Preparation of polystyrene-bound 3,4,5- trimethylphenyl phosphinous chloride. One gram (4.9 mmol) of the polystyrene-bound phosphonous chloride and 0.72 gm (5.4 mmol) of A1C13 were charged under an inert atmosphere into an H-reactor equipped with a reflux condenser with an argon inlet. Fifteen mL (excess) of 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene were syringed in under a stream of argon and suspension was stirred at 600C for 6 hours. The filtrate was poured off under argon, and the polymer was washed with dry THF, then with THF/pyridine in the ratio of 15/2 and dried in vacuo. The 31p NMR spectrum contained a peak at 85 ppm (phosphinous chloride phosphorus) and a smaller peak due to dichloride at 162 ppm. In another experiment, the Hreactor was charged as described above and the suspension was stirred under a stream of argon at 1000C for 1 hour. The polymer was washed and dried as described above. The 31p NMR spectrum indicated that ca. 95% of the phosphorus was in the form of phosphinous chloride (peak at 85 ppm) and that only ca. 5% of unreacted starting material was present (peak at 162 ppm). EXAMPLE 10 Preparation of the polystyrene-bound isopropyl 3,4,5-trimethylphenyl phosphinite. One gram of the phosphinous chloride prepared as described in Example 8 was charged into an H-reactor under an inert atmosphere and evacuated on the vacuum line. 15 mL of dry THF and 0.5 mL of dry pyridine were distilled onto the polymer and 0.5 mL (6.1 mmol) of dry isopropanol was distilled into the opposite leg. The reaction conditions of Example 7 were followed. The polymer was washed extensively with dry THF. The 31p NMR spectrum contained a peak at 107 ppm indicative of phosphinite phosphorus (ca. 90% of P) and a smaller peak at 44 ppm (ca. 10% of P) due to an unidentified impurity. See Figure lb. EXAMPLE 11a Reaction 3,4,5-(CHq)3C6H2PC12 and Polystyrene at 600C. One gram (9.6 mmol) of polystyrene resin crosslinked with 1% divinylbenzene (Bio Beads, S-X1, 200-400 mesh) and 1.33 gm (10.0 mmol) A1C13 were charged under an inert atmosphere into an H-reactor equipped with a reflux condenser and argon inlet. The polymer was swollen in 10 mL of dry 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane which was added (syringe) under argon. 3,4,5-(CH3)3C6H2PC12 (2.8 gm, 12.7 mmol) dissolved in 2 mL dry 1,1,2,2tetrachloroethane was added to reaction mixture via syringe under argon and the reaction mixture so formed was heated at 600C for 4 hours. The suspension was degassed and filtered through the glass frit, and the filtrate poured off under argon. The polymer was washed extensively with dry THF. The 31p NMR spectrum showed no incorporation of phosphorus into the polymer. EXAMPLE 11b Reaction of 3,4,5-(CH3)3-CgH2PC1with Polystyrene at 100 C. The reaction described in Example lla was repeated excepting that the reaction mixture so formed was heated at 1000C for 2 hours. The dark brown reaction mixture produced was filtered under argon and a red-brown solid recovered and washed three times with 15 mL portions of THF. The yellow-orange solid was washed with dry CH2C12, again with THF (the color of solid remained unchanged) and dried in vacuo to give a gummy yellow-orange solid. The 31p NMR spectrum of the gummy yellow-orange solid (swollen in CH2C12) contained a large broad multiplet of unassigned peaks at 70 ppm, 51.4 ppm, 46 ppm and 36 ppm, said unassigned peaks indicative of incorporation of phosphorus into polymer and a small peak at 162 ppm indicative of a phosphonous dichloride. There was no peak at 85 ppm indicative of uncomplexed polymer-bound phosphinous chloride. EXAMPLE llc Attempted Preparation of Polystyrene-bound isopropyl 3,4, 5-trimethylphenylphosphinite. The reaction product of Example llb was treated in accordance with the apparatus and procedure of Example 10. Dry THF and pyridine were distilled onto ca. 700 mg of the gummy yellow-orange solid of Example llb and removed by filtration. Fresh dry THF (12 mL) dry pyridine (2 mL) and dry isopropanol (2.0 mL) were distilled onto copolymer. The reaction conditions and apparatus of Example 7 were then used excepting that the reaction product was washed with THF and a THFisopropanol mixture and dried in vacuo. There was recovered 0.53 g of a yellow-orange gummy solid. The 31p NMR spectrum contained a broad multiplet of peaks centered around 30 ppm indicative of phosphorus (V). The phosphorus signal was very weak, indicating little phosphorus was incorporated and the spectrum contained no peak around 110 ppm indicating no phosphinite phosphorus was present. EXAMPLE 12 Attempted Dimerization of ACN using Trimethylsilyl Dibutylphosphinite. A dimerization reaction mixture was prepared in accordance with the apparatus and procedure of Example 2 from cyclohexane (1 mL), isopropanol (1 mL), acrylonitrile (3 mL), toluene (9 mL), hexamethylbenzene (1.334 g ) and trimethylsilyl dibutylphosphonite (0.1 mL) which was prepared by the procedure described by M. Grayson et al. in Tetrahedron, 1967, Vol. 23, at page 1085 et seq. The solution was heated at 600C for 18 hrs, then sampled under argon. GC analysis showed no reaction products and no conversion of the acrylonitrile. Analysis of the reaction mixture by 31p NMR showed one major peak at 6 46 ppm, corresponding to a rearrangement product, and nothing at 117 ppm relative to 85% H3PO4 where the starting phosphinite phosphorus appears. EXAMPLE 13 4-(2-Hydroxypropyl)polystyrene. A 3.0 g sample of brominated polystyrene containing 29% bromine and crosslinked with 1 wgt % of divinylbenzene was placed on one side of an H-reactor. Butyl lithium (20 mL, 2.4 M) was syringed- into the other side, the hexane solvent was mostly evaporated and replaced by 30 mL dry toluene. The toluene solution was filtered onto the polymer and the mixture was heated at 600C for 3 hours. The polymer was filtered, the toluene poured off and fresh toluene was distilled in. After several washings the toluene was poured off and the polymer dried. Fresh toluene (30 mL) was then distilled onto the polymer followed by 1.1 mL of propylene oxide (15.7 mmol). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 hours, then filtered, the solvent poured off and 20 mL of isopropanol were distilled in. After stirring, the polymer was filtered again and then washed in the air with isopropanol (2 x 100 mL), isopropanol containing several drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid (2 x 100 mL) and again with isopropanol (2 x 100 mL). Drying overnight in a vacuum oven at 600C gave 2.5 g of product. Analysis for hydroxyl content gave a value of 3.7 meq OH/g of polymer. EXAMPLES 14-15 Partially Phosphinited Rydroxypropylpolystyrene. A 1.0 g sample of the hydroxypropylpolystyrene prepared as described in Example 13 was treated in an H-reactor with di-p-tolylphosphinous chloride (0.37 g, 1.49 mmol) in pyridine (15 mL). After 3 days the mixture was filtered, washed with pyridine once and with dichloromethane several times. The dried polymer weighed 0.95 g. Phosphorus NMR Spectrum contained only a single broad peak at ca. 6 107 ppm. Fully phosphinited hydroxypropylpolystyrene was prepared similarly using an excess of phosphinous chloride. The 31p NMR spectrum contained only a single broad peak at ca. 6 107 ppm. EXAMPLE 16 Partial Phosphination of TDI-Cross-linked PVAL. A sample of polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked with about 5% tolylenediisocyanate was dried in vacuo at 600C. The polymer (0.33 g) was placed in an H-reactor and treated with diphenylphosphinous chloride (0.50 g, 2.25mmol) in pyridine (15 mL) for 4 days at room temperature. After filtration, the polymer was washed several times with dichloromethane and dried. Yield: 0.23 g. Phosphorus NMR showed a substantial amount of phosphorus incorporation, with about 90% in the phosphinite form. The sample was recovered from the NMR tube, dried and used in a dimerization run (See Example 21) but no conversion of ACN was observed. (See Table V). EXAMPLE 17 Complete Phosphination of TDI-Cross-linked PVAL. A 0.5 g sample of dried, TDI-cross-linked, 80% hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate was treated with a slight excess of di-p-tolylphosphinous chloride (2.0 g, 8 mmol) in pyridine (15 mL) for 4 days at room temperature. The polymer was filtered, washed with dichloromethane and dried. Yield: 0.49 g. The phosphorus NMR spectrum showed a strong peak in the region (6 110 ppm) expected for phosphinite and a smaller peak in the P(V) region. Thus, although there was no weight gain, the recovered material contained an appreciable amount of phosphorus. This polymer was used in a dimerization reaction with neopentyl alcohol. (See Example 21). No conversion of ACN was indicated by GLC. EXAMPLE 18 Fully Phosphinited TOYOPEARL. A 1.0 g of dried, coarse TOYOPEARLe was treated with excess di-ptolylphosphinous chloride (2.5 g, 10 mmol) in pyridine (20 mL) in an H-reactor. After 2 days at room temperature the reaction was stopped. The mixture could not be filtered, so the pyridine was pumped off and dichloromethane distilled in. The polymer was stirred briefly, then filtered. After several more washings with dichloromethane, the product was dried on the vacuum line. An appreciable amount of material was lost due to the fine particles being pulled up into the vacuwm line. Yield: 1.45 g. The 31p NMR spectrum showed a strong broad peak at 6 115 ppm phosphinite phosphorus and a number of sharp resonances of lower intensities due to monomeric phosphorus species. EXAMPLE 19 Partially Phosphinited TOYOPEARL (30%). Superfine TOYOPEARLe (3.0 g) was treated with about 0.3 equivalents of di-p-tolylphosphinous chloride (1.4 g) in pyridine for 2 days at room temperature. The product was filtered in a glove bag and washed with dichloromethane, then dried overnight in a vacuum oven. It was then washed repeatedly with dichloromethane in an H-reactor and redried. Yield: 2.7 g. Phosphorus NMR shows a broad peak in the phosphinite region and a smaller broad peak in the P(V) region. EXAMPLE 20 Partially Phosphinited TOYOPEARLQ (6%). A 4.0 g sample of coarse TOYOPEARLe was treated with about 0.06 equivalents of di-p-tolylphosphinous chloride (0.44 g, 1.77 mmol) in pyridine (30 mL). The mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, filtered under argon and washed with dichloromethane, then dried on the vacuum line. Yield: 4.35 g. The phosphorus NMR showed a single broad resonance at 6 115 ppm (due to phosphinite phosphorus) and a small amount of a monomeric P(V) compound. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 21 Dimerizations of acrylonitrile using hydroxylcontaining polymer-bound phosphinites of Examples 14-20 were run in accordance with the procedure of Example 2 excepting that no isopropanol was added. In runs 6-7 wherein all the OH groups of polymer-bound catalyst were converted into phosphinite at the start of the reaction, neopentyl alcohol was added. See Table V for a summary of results. ACN Dimerization Runs 6-8 of Example 22 Dimerization using Fully Phosphinited Toyopearl and Neopentyl Alcohol. A dimerization reaction was carried out in accordance with the procedure and apparatus of Example 2 using the fully phosphinited TOYOPEARL of Example 18 as the catalyst and neopentyl alcohol as the added alcohol. After 20 hours, the reaction mixture was analyzed. Conversion was 90% and selectivity to 1,4dicyano-l-butenes also about 90%. The reaction mixture was filtered, concentrated and the phosphorus NMR Spectrum was obtained on a methylene chloride solution of the residue. The 31p NMR spectrum showed several peaks, the major ones being at 6 112 ppm, due to neopentyl di-p-tolylphosphinite, and at 6 29 ppm, probably due to the tertiary phosphine oxide. The 31p NMR spectrum of the recovered polymer showed no polymerbound phosphorus. Repetition of the experiment gave 14% conversion after 3 hours, with > 90% selectivity; in addition to the peaks noted above, the 31p NMR showed a smaller peak at 6 -50 ppm due to the pentacoordinate phosphorane. Table V ACN Dimerization Runs Using Various Polymer-Bound Phosph i ni te Without Added Alcohola Polymerb %Pc Time (Hr.) Results 1 PS-OP-Tolyl¸ 40 22.5 No ACN conversion 2 PS-OP-Tolyl2 40 5 Mainly P(V) 3 PSoP-Toly121 5 24 No ACN conversion 4 TDI-PVAL3 40 6 No ACN conversion 5 TDI-PVA4 100 24 No ACN conversion 6 TOYOPEARL#5 100d 20 90% conversion; 90% selectivity to DCB-1; No polymer-bound phosphorus after 20 hrs; neopentyl di-p- tolylphosphinite present 7 TOYOPEARL&commat;5 100d 3 14% conversion; 90 selectivity to DCB-1; No polymer-bound phosphorus after 3 hrs; neopentyl di-p-tolyl phosphonite and P(V) present 8 TOYOPEARL&commat; ;6 6 24 11% conversion; 37% selectivity to DCB-1 Footnotes to Table V a60 C. Typical amounts: 9 mL of toluene, 3 mL of ACN, 1 mL of cyclohexane, 0.2 mmol of phosphorus. bPS-O = 4-( 2' -hydroxy-l' -propylpolystyrene crosslinked with 10% of divinyl benzene (See Examples 14-15); TDI PVAL = 5% Tolylene diisocyanate cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol. CPercent of polymer-bound OH groups derivatized with P-(p-CH3C6H5)2 groups. dNeopentyl alcohol was added. Preparation of Polymers listed in Table V 1. See Examples 14, 15. 2. See Examples 14, 15. 3. See Example 16. 4. See Example 17. 5. See Example 18. 6. See Example 20.

Claims: We claim: 1. A substance having the formula I: EMI47.1 wherein the.trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix, wherein p -C6H4- is derived from a polymer p -C6H5 containing aryl groups wherein at least 1% of the pendant aryl groups of a polymer matrix are bound to phosphorus and wherein said substance is substantially free of C=O, OH or -NH or SH groups and wherein Ar' is an aromatic group having the formula: : EMI47.2 wnerein xat Rb, Rc, Rd and Re are independently heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups selected from the group consisting of -OR3 and -N(R4, R5) or hydrogen or alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two of said Rae groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are defined as hereinabove or wherein at least one of Rat Rb, Rc, Rd and Ret is a heteroatom-containing electron-donating group selected from -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) wherein R, R3, R4, and R5 are independently straight and branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms and the remainder of said Rae groups are independently hydrogen or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove. 2. The substance of claim 1 wherein the polymer is polystyrene cross-linked with about 1-40 weight % divinylbenzene. 3. The substance of claim 2 wherein the polymer is in the form of micro- or macroreticular beads. 4. A substance having the formula: -C6H4-P(p-CH3O-C6H4)OR wherein C6H4 is derived from a polymer which is polystyrene and wherein R is ethyl or isopropyl. 5. A substance having the formula: > C6H4-P[(CH3)3C6H2]OR wherein #-C6H4- is derived from a polymer which is polystyrene and wherein R is cyclohexyl, methyl, ethyl or isopropyl. 6. A process for preparation of polymeric substance having the formula I, > C6H4-P-(Ar)OR which comprises the steps of: (a) brominating at least about 1% of the pendant aromatic groups of a polymer matrix having the formula I, -C6H5; (b) contacting the brominated aromatic-containing polymer produced in step (a) with at least a stoichiometric amount of a lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiNH2, LiNHR7, LiNR7R8 and LiR7 wherein R7 and R8 are independently alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 12 carbons; (c) contacting the lithiated aromatic-containing polymer produced in step (b) with aryl phosphorus compound selected from the group consisting of Ar'P(X)OR, Ar'P(OR)2 and Ar'PX2 wherein Ar' is an aromatic group having the formula: : EMI48.1 wherein Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re are independently heteroatom-containing electron-donating groups selected from the group consisting of -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) or hydrogen or alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or' cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two of said Ra¯e groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are defined as hereinabove or wherein at least one of Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re is a heteroatom-containing electron-donating group selected from -OR3 and -N(R4, R5) wherein R3, R4, and R5 are independently straight or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbon atoms and the remainder of said Ra-e groups are hydrogen, or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove, and wherein X is halogen and wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbons or a cycloalkyl group of 5 to 10 carbons; and (d) recovering a polymeric substance having the formula &commat; -C6H4-P(Ar')OR. 7. The process of claim 6 wherein in step (c) Ar1P(X)OR in the form of p-CH3OC6H4P(Cl)OR is used and wherein R is cyclohexyl, methyl, ethyl or a 2-alkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms. 8. The process of claim 6 wherein in step (c), Ar'P(X)2 is used and wherein #-C6H4-P(Ar')X isconverted into #-C6H4-P(Ar')OR by reaction therewith of ROH and pyridine. 9. The process of claim 6 wherein in step (c), ArP(OR)2 is used. 10. The process of claim 6 which further comprises treating the polymeric substance recovered to produce a polymeric substance substantially free of lithium cations and bases. 11. A process for the preparation of a polymeric substance having formula I, #-C6H4-P(Ar')OR which comprises the steps of: (a) contacting a polymer containing aromatic groups with PX3, in the presence of an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer cOntaining aromatic groups substituted with PX2 wherein X is F, C1, Br or I; (b) contacting the polymer containing the aromatic groups substituted with PX2, in the presence of an effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, with an aromatic compound Ar'H having formula: : EMI50.1 wherein Raf Rb, Rc, Rd, and Re are independently N,Ndialkylamino groups, -N(R4,R5), [wherein R4 and R5 are alkyl (C1-C10) or cycloalkyl (Cg-C10) groups], hydrogen, straight or branched chain alkyl groups of 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons or wherein two of said Rae groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are independently hydrogen, N,N-dialkylamino groups -N(R4, R5) alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons, or wherein at least one of said Rae groups is a N,N-dialkylamino group, -N(R4,R5), and the remainder of said Rae groups are independently hydrogen or alkyl or cycloalkyl as defined hereinabove, for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having the formula #-C6H4-P(Ar')X; and (c) contacting the product of step (b) with a straight or branched chain alkanol having no more than 10 carbons or cycloalkanol having 5 to 10 carbon atoms in the presence of a base for a time sufficient to produce a polymer having formula T\ -C6H4-P(Ar')OR. 12. The process of claim 11 wherein in step (b), Ar'H is a trimethylbenzene and wherein in step (c) methanol, ethanol, cyclohexanol or a 2-alkanol having 3 to 10 carbon atoms is used and wherein the base in step (c) is pyridine. 13. The process of claim 11 which further comprises treating the polymer produced in step (b) with a polar solvent or with a polar solvent in the presence of a base to produce a polymer substantially free of Al- containing compounds. 14. A substance having the formula -C6H4-P(O- i-C3H7) 2 15. A substance having the formula p-C6H4-P- [(CH3)3C6H2-]-Cl. 16. The substance of claim 14 wherein a C6H4 is derived from the polymer which is polystyrene crosslinked with about 1-40% divinylbenzene. 17. A process for conversion of acrylonitrile into 1,4-dicyano-l-butene which comprises contacting a liquid phase comprisng acrylonitrile with an effective amount of a polymer bound alkyl diarylphosphinite catalyst having the formula I: EMI51.1 wherein the trivalent phosphorus is substituted by one alkoxy group and one aryl group and wherein the third bond of phosphorus is a P-C bond to a pendant aryl group of the polymer matrix for a time sufficient to effect conversion to a stream containing l,4-dicyano-1-butene. 18. The process of claim 17 wherein the contacting is performed in a flow reactor, under substantially anhydrous and oxygen-free conditions and in the substantial absence of bases and lithium cat ions. 19. The process of claim 17 wherein the aryl group, Ar'- bound only to phosphorus is an aromatic group having the formu EMI51.2 <tb> la <tb> tb <SEP> A <tb> <SEP> 1 <tb> wherein at least one of the Rave groups is an heteroatom-containing electron-donating group selected from the group consisting of -OR3 and -N(R4,R5) wherein R3, R4 and R5 are independently straight or branched chain alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbons or cycloalkyl groups having 5 to 10 carbons or wherein Rat Rb, Rc, Rd and Re are independently selected from the group consisting of said heretoatom-containing electrondonatng groups, hydrogen, straight and branched chain alkyl groups having one to ten carbon atoms and cycloalkyl groups having five to 10 carbon atoms or wherein two df said Rae groups form part of a fused alicyclic ring and the remainder of said Rae groups are independently said heteroatom-containing electrondonating groups or hydrogen or straight or branched chain alkyl groups having one to ten carbona toms or cycloalkyl groups of five to ten carbon atoms. 20. The process of claim 19 wherein the catalyst is &commat; C6H4-P-((CH3)3C6H2-iOR wherein R is selected from group consisting of straight and branched chain alkyl groups of one to ten carbons and cycloalkyl groups of five to ten carbons. 21. The process of claim 19 wherein the catalyst is e C6H4-P-(p-CH3OC6H4-)OR wherein R is selected from the group consisting of straight and branched chain alkyl groups of one to ten carbons and cycloalkyl groups of five to ten carbons. 22. The process of claim 19 wherein the liquid acrylonitrile phase further comprises an inert solvent and a proton-donating solvent and wherein the total water content ofthe liquid phase is less than about 50 ppm and wherein the liquid phase, prior to contacting same with said polymer-bound phosphinite catalyst, is treated with an effective amount of a drying agent comprising polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite for a time sufficient to reduce the total water content of the liquid phase to a value less than about 15 ppm. 23. The process of claim 22 which further comprises recovering the drying agent comprising polymer-bound alkyl phosphinate having the formula e C6H4-P=O(OR)(H) produced by the interaction of the polymer-bound dialkyl arylphosphonite with water in the liquid phase, recovering and contacting said phosphinate with an effective amount of PC13 for a time sufficient to produce a polymer-bound alkyl arylphosphonous dichloride and contacting said polymer-bound alkyl arylphosphonous dichloride with a primary or secondary alkanol of 1-10 carbons in the presence of base for a time sufficient to produce polymer-bound dialkyl aryl phosphonite. 24. The process of claim 22 wherein the drying agent is polystyrene-bound diisopropyl arylphosphonite and wherein the inert solvent is toluene and wherein the proton-donating solvent is isopropanol.

Inventors: BOYLE, WILLIAM JOHNSTON, JR., MARES, FRANK, WALLO, ANDREA MARY
Applicants: ALLIED CORPORATION
Application year: 1983
Main classification: C08F8
IPC codes: B01J31, C08F8