Patent GB-1306282-A (GB)
IPC: C08L67/04
Filed: 1970-04-01
Abstract: 1306282 Cyclic ester polymers UNION CARBIDE CORP 1 April 1970 [1 April 1969] 15452/70 Heading C3R The invention comprises particulate linear polymers of cyclic esters which are in a discrete, free-flowing, non-agglomerative form and which have a reduced viscosity of from 0À3 to 20; which have the recurring structural unit wherein each R, individually, is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, halo, haloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxy or aryloxy; A is an oxy group, or thio group, or a divalent saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group ; x and y are integers from 1 to 15; z is zero or 1; with the provisos that x+y + z cannot equal 2 or 3, the total number of atoms in the polymer chain of the above recurring unit does not exceed 18, the total number of R groups which are other than hydrogen does not exceed 4, from 2 to 4 linked carbon atoms in the polymer chain of the recurring unit can represent a portion of a saturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon nucleus, and any four R groups attached to any two adjacent carbon atoms in the polymer chain can represent a portion of a fused aromatic hydrocarbon nucleus; which contain from 0À01 to 10 wt. per cent of a polymeric interfacial agent which has a reduced viscosity of from 0À05 to 10; the interfacial agent having a solvatable constituent which is solvatable in inert, normally-liquid, saturated acyclic hydrocarbons, which is incompatible with the particulate linear polymers, and which has an average molecular weight of up to one million; and further having an anchoring constituent which is non-solvatable in the inert, normally-liquid, saturated acyclic hydrocarbons, which is compatible with the particulate linear polymers such that it is associated integrally therewith, and which has an average molecular weight of at least 1000 and 0À05 to 10 times the molecular weight of the solvatable constituent; and which is readily dispersible in particulate form in inert normally-liquid acyclic hydrocarbons. They may be prepared by contacting a cyclic ester having the general formula from 0À01 to 10 wt. per cent of the above interfacial agent; a cyclic ester polymerization catalyst; in the presence of an inert, non-polar solvent in which the cyclic ester is soluble and the polymer product is insoluble; under anhydrous conditions. In the examples polymers are prepared from epsilon-caprolactone and (3) lauryl methacrylate/vinyl chloride copolymer, (4) poly-(laurylmethacrylate), (5) to (9) and (14) poly-(vinyl stearate), (10) polyethylene, (11) polyisobutylene, (12) acrylonitrile/styrene copolymer and (13) poly-(2-ethylhexyl acrylate) interfacial agents, from (15) delta-valerolactone and stearyl methacrylate/vinylidene chloride copolymer, from (16) eta-caprylolactone and stearyl methacrylate/vinyl chloride/eta-caprylolactone graft copolymer, from (17) 2-keto-1,4- dioxan and laurylmethacrylate/vinyl chloride/ 2-keto-1,4-dioxan graft copolymer, from (19) epsilon - caprolactone + methyl - epsilon - caprolactone and poly-(vinylpalmitate), and (19) from epsilon caprolactone and zeta-enantholactone monomers with myristyl methacrylate/ vinylidine chloride block copolymer interfacial agent.