Patent GB-807488-A (GB)
Title: Water-soluble polymeric compositions containing polymerized vinylbenzyl quaternary ammonium compounds
IPC: C08F20/56
Filed: 1956-12-21
Abstract: Aqueous suspensions of finely-divided solids such as clays, phosphate slimes or cement slimes are flocculated by the addition of aqueous solutions of polymers of vinylbenzyl quaternary ammonium compounds or copolymers of these with acrylamide or mixtures of acrylamide and 10 to 90 per cent of methacrylamide. The quaternary compounds have the general formula <FORM:0807488/III/1> wherein R, R1, R11, not necessarily the same, may be CH2OH-CH2-,CH3-CHOH-CH2-, CH2OH-CHOH-CH2-, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl and aralkyl radicals or, alternatively, the quaternary compound may be a pyridinium salt; and Y - is an anion such as hydroxide, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulphate, acetate, chloracetate, propionate or butyrate.  In Example 8 a glaciolacustrine clay in aqueous suspension is flocculated by addition of a small quantity of an aqueous solution of a copolymer of acrylamide and triethyl, trimethyl or dimethylbenzyl vinylbenzyl ammonium chloride.ALSO:Vinyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds are polymerized alone or with acrylamide or mixtures of acrylamide and from 90 to 10 per cent of methacrylamide.  The quaternary compounds have the general formula CH2=CH-C6H2-CH2-N+RR1R11 Y wherein R, R1, R11, not necessarily the same, may be CH2OH-CH2-, CH3-CHOH-CH2-, CH2OH-CHOH-CH2-, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl and aralkyl radicals or, alternatively, the quaternary compound may be a pyridinium salt; and Y - is an anion such as hydroxide, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulphate, acetate, chloracetate, propionate or butyrate.  The polymerization may be carried out in bulk, suspension or emulsion or in a solvent such as water, methyl, ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, acetone or methyl ethyl ketone and may be a batch or continuous process and some or all of the monomers may continuously be added during the reaction.  The polymerization in aqueous solution may be conducted at a specified pH.  The polymerization is carried out at 0-100 DEG  C. and may be initiated by heat, ultra-violet light, gamma, beta or X-rays or catalysts may be added such as hydrogen, barium, benzoyl, lauroyl, acetyl, octadecyl, or di-t-butyl per oxides, cumene, diisopropylbenzene or t-butyl hydroperoxides, di-t-butyl diperphthalate, t-butyl perbenzoate, sodium perborate or sodium or potassium persulphate.  Aqueous solutions of the polymers or copolymers may be used as flocculents for treating aqueous suspensions of finely-divided solids or as additives for paper pulp.ALSO:Vinylbenzyl quaternary ammonium compounds of the general formula <FORM:0807488/IV (b)/1> wherein R, R1, R11 are alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, or dihydroxy alkyl, or R1, R11 and N form a pyridine ring, and Y is an anion, are made from vinylbenzyl chloride on bromide by reacting with a tertiary amine such as trimethylamine, triethylamine, tributylamine, dimethylethanolamine, methyldiisopropanolamine, dimethylbenzylamine, dimethylaniline, dimethylcyclohexylamine, N,N-dimethylamino - N - 1,2 - propanediol or pyridine.  The reaction may be carried out at from 0 DEG  to 60 DEG C. in the presence of a solvent such as water or ethylene dichloride. In examples, the preparation of vinylbenzyl triethyl ammonium chloride, para-vinylbenzyl pyridinium chloride and vinylbenzyl N,N-dimethyl-N-benzyl ammonium chloride are described from vinylbenzyl chloride and triethylamine, pyridine and dimethylbenzylamine, respectively.  In these examples the amine is added dropwise to the benzyl halide or to the benzyl halide in ether containing a trace of quinone as a polymerization inhibitor.