Patent Publication Number: US-4321356-A

Title: Transesterification process utilizing as a reactant bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonates

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This invention is related to U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 106,855 filed Dec. 26, 1979; which is now abandoned and of which Ser. No. 013,481 is a continuation-in-part application which was filed on May 11, 1981; 106,856 filed Dec. 26, 1979 which is now abandoned of which Ser. No. 013,482 is a continuation-in-part application filed on Apr. 27, 1981; which is Ser. No. 143,804 filed Apr. 23, 1980 all of Daniel Joseph Brunelle, and Ser. No. 970,058 filed Dec. 15, 1978 which is now U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,438 of Daniel Joseph Brunelle and William Edward Smith. The above applications are assigned to the assignee of this invention and all of their disclosures are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a polycarbonate transesterification process comprising reacting a bis(ortho-haloaryl) carbonate and a dihydric phenol under transesterification reaction conditions. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In general, polycarbonate transesterification prior art including The Enchclopedia of Polymer Science, Vol. 10 (1969), Chemistry and Physics of Polycarbonates, Polymer Reviews, H. Schnell, Vol. 9, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (1964); &#34;Polycarbonates&#34;, Christopher and Fox, Reinhold Corporation of New York (1962); among other publications, including numerous U.S. and foreign patents including Great Britain Pat. No. 1,079,822 issued to Bayer (1966), authored by Curtius, Ludwig, bottenbruch and Schnell, report that generally effective transesterification reactions involving aromatic dihydroxy compounds with carbonic acid aromatic diesters can be carried out in the presence of basic catalysts in the formation of high molecular weight impact-resistant thermoplastic polycarbonates. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention embodies a polycarbonate transesterification process comprising reacting a bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate and a dihydric phenol under transesterification reaction conditions. 
     The &#34;bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate&#34; also commonly referred to as a carbonic acid aromatic diester of an orthohalophenol is defined herein by the general formula: ##STR1## where at least a P or Q substituent is an ortho-positioned halogen, e.g. Cl, F, Br or I, or a trifluoromethyl group, e.g. --CF 3 , directly bonded to a ring carbon atom located adjacent to an Oxy group of the carbonate, i and j represent whole numbers of at least 1 up to a maximum equivalent to the number of replaceable hydrogen atoms or alkyl groups, e.g. C 1-4  alkyl, substituted for on the aromatic rings comprising Ar and Ar&#39;. 
     Sterically hindered bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonates having P and Q substituents positioned on all available ortho positions of the same aromatic ring are excluded as reactants in this patent. 
     Presently preferred bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonates are of the formula: ##STR2## where independently at least a P or Q is an ortho-positioned halogen or a trifluoromethyl group, i and j are as defined above. Specific examples follow: 
     bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate 
     bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl)carbonate 
     bis(2-chloro-4-methylphenyl)carbonate 
     o-iodophenyl o-trifluoromethylphenyl carbonate 
     bis(o-fluorophenyl)carbonate 
     bis(2-chloro-3-methylphenyl) carbonate, 
     bis(2-bromo-4-ethylphenyl) carbonate, 
     bis(2-chloro-5-propylphenyl) carbonate, and 
     bis(2-iodo-6-butylphenyl) carbonate, etc. 
     Any of the dihydric phenols, bases, as well as reaction parameters relative to amounts of reactants, etc., as well as reaction time, temperature and pressure described in Ser. No. 970,058 of D. J. Brunelle and W. E. Smith can be employed in the process of this invention. Accordingly, for brevity their descriptions are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
     Illustratively, dihydric phenols, include dihydric or dihydroxy aromatic compounds--also incorporated herein by reference--defined by Fox&#39;s Formula II in U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,008, column 2, lines 23-72 and column 3, lines 1-42. Presently preferred dihydric phenols are of the formulas: ##STR3## where independently each R is hydrogen, C 1-4  alkyl, methoxy, bromine and chlorine, R g  and R h  are hydrogen or a C 1-30  monovalent hydrocarbon or hydrocarbonoxy group, and ##STR4## where independently each R is as defined above and each Z is hydrogen, chlorine or bromine, subject to the proviso that at least one Z is chlorine or bromine. 
     Specific examples follow: 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-diphenyl-1,1-butane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-diphenyl-2-chlorophenyl methane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-diphenyl-2,2-propane also known as &#34;BPA&#34; or bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2,2, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-diphenyl-2,2-propane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-3-isopropyl-diphenyl-2,2-propane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-diphenyl-2,2-nonane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-2,2&#39;,3,3&#39;,5,5&#39;,6,6&#39;-octamethyl-diphenyl methane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-2,2&#39;-dimethyl-5,5&#39;-di-tert.-butyl-diphenyl methane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-3,3&#39;,5,5&#39;-tetrachloro-diphenyl-2,2-propane, 
     4,4&#39;-dihydroxy-3,3&#39;,5,5&#39;-tetrabromo-diphenyl-2,2-propane, 
     1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1,1-dibromo-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(5-methyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1,1-dibromo-2,2-bis(3,6-n-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(2-chloro-5-ethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1-bromo-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, 
     1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(2-ethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene, and 
     1-bromo-2,2-bis(3,5-diphenylether-4-hydroxyphenyl)ethylene. 
     Illustrative specific examples of inorganic or organic bases that can be employed follow: sodium metal, lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium acetate, sodium methylate, sodium tetrasulfide, sodium borohydride, isopropylamine, propanediamine, pyridine, 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethylpiperidine, sodium benzoate, sodium phenoxide, sodium salts of bisphenol-A, etc. 
     Presently preferred bases are certain, metal hydride, catalysts--described in greater detail in U.S. Ser. Nos. 106,856 and 106,855 previously referred to--and include any compound which contains aluminumhydride or boronhydride counterions, for example alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, quaternary ammonium, quaternary phosphonium, or tertiary sulfonium aluminumhydrides or boronhydrides. 
     An especially preferred metal hydride is the product obtained by forming a homogeneous solution or metal of a metal hydride containing aluminumhydride or boronhydride counterions with a bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate or dihydric phenol, subsequently separating any solvent--if used, cooling, and recovering a homogeneous solid pre-formed mixture of metal hydride and bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate and/or phenol, more preferably a bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate. 
     Any amount of base can be employed. In general, effective mole ratios of base, e.g. LiOH, LiAlH 4 , Me 4  NBH 4 , etc., to dihydric phenols are within the range of from about 1×10 -8  to 1 or even lower to about 1 to 1, or even higher, preferably from 1×10 -6  to 1 to about 1×10 -2  to 1, and more preferably from 1×10 -5  to 1 to 1×10 -3  to 1. Generally, mole ratios of at least 1×10 -5  to 1 enhances both the reaction rate and the yield of polycarbonate. 
     Any reaction pressure can be employed, e.g. atmosphere, subatmosphere or superatmospheric. Generally, however, the process is preferably carried out under a reaction pressure of approximately 1 atm. (˜760 mm. Hg.) during the initial phase of the reaction with a subsequent pressure reduction to values in the order of 0.1 to 1.0 Hg. (vacuum), or even lower. 
     Any reaction temperature can be employed. Optimum reaction temperatures are generally within the range of from 80° C. or even lower, to 300° C. or even higher, and more often 120° C. to 260° C. 
     Any reaction time can be employed. Generally, optimum reaction time periods are from about 0.5 hours or even less to about 24 hours or even more. 
    
    
     BEST MODE 
     EXAMPLES I AND II 
     (A) First Stage Transesterification 
     22.83 g. of bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2,2 (100.0 mmol.) and 28.44 g. of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate (100.5 mmol.) blanketed under a nitrogen (N 2 ) atmosphere was preheated for 15 minutes to a temperature of about 150° C. The resulting melt mixture was then charged with 1×10 -3  mole percent LiOH catalyst (based on BPA) added in a H 2  O solution. After catalyst addition, the melt temperature was raised sequentially accordingly: 150° C. to 220° C. over 1/2 hour, 220° C. to 240° C. over the next 20 minutes, and then 240° C. to 260° C. during the next 20 minutes. Finally, the melt temperature was held at about the 260°-265° C. range for another 20 minutes--while continuously maintaining the reaction mixture under N 2  atmosphere while remving by-product o-chlorophenol via distillation. A control-contrast reaction was carried out under similar reaction conditions substituting diphenylcarbonate for bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate. 
     (B) Second Stage Transesterification 
     The resulting first stage reaction BPA polycarbonate product was subsequently heated to 285° C. over a 1/2 hour period. 
     A summary of the first and second stage process temperature sequences and properties of the resulting polycarbonates is set out in Tables I and II, respectively. 
     
                       TABLE I                                                     
______________________________________                                    
Summary of first and Second Stage Reaction Parameters                     
       Cumu-    Time                                                      
       lative   Individual                                                
Process                                                                   
       Reaction Interval/                                                 
Sequence                                                                  
       Time/hr. hr.       Temp.°C.                                 
                                  Pressure Hg.                            
______________________________________                                    
First                                                                     
Stage  0.50     0.50      150-220 N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                     
       0.83     0.33      220-240 N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                     
       1.16     0.33      240-260 N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                     
       1.49     0.33      260-165 N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                     
Summary                                                                   
       1.49     N.A..sup.1                                                
                          150-265 N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                     
Second                                                                    
Stage  0.50     0.50      285     N.sub.2 atm./ 1 mm                      
Summary                                                                   
       1.99     N.A.      150-285 N.sub.2 atm./760-1 mm                   
______________________________________                                    
 .sup.1 = not applicable                                                  
 
    
     
                       TABLE II                                                    
______________________________________                                    
               Primary                                                    
Example        Carbonate Starting                                         
                             BPA-Polycarbonate                            
No.    Stage   Material      Color.sup.2                                  
                                     MW.sub.w.sup.3                       
                                          I.V..sup.4                      
______________________________________                                    
I      First   bis(o-chloro- faint pink                                   
                                     9,900                                
                                          --                              
               phenyl)carbonate                                           
II     First   diphenylcarbonate                                          
                             light tan                                    
                                     2,500                                
                                          --                              
I      Second  BPA-polycar-  faint  45,500                                
                                          0.57                            
               bonate-MW.sub.w 9900                                       
                             yellow                                       
II     Second  BPA-polycar-  dark   16,300                                
                                          0.26                            
               bonate-MW.sub.w 2500                                       
                             yellow                                       
______________________________________                                    
 FOOTNOTES:                                                               
 .sup.2 = the color of the product recorded at the end of the reaction    
 while still retained in the first or second stage reactor                
 .sup.3 = GPC wt. avg. MW, rel. to polystyrene                            
 .sup.4 = IV measured in CHCL.sub.3 at 25° C.                      
 
    
     EXAMPLES III AND IV 
     (A) First Stage Transesterification 
     22.83 g. of bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2,2 (100.0 mmol.) and 28.44 g. of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate (100.5 mmol.) blanketed under a nitrogen (N 2 ) atmosphere was preheated for 15 minutes to a temperature of about 155° C. The resulting melt mixture was then charged with 1×10 -3  mole percent LiOH catalyst (based on BPA) added in a H 2  O solution. After catalyst addition, the melt temperature was gradually raised to 210° C. over a 2 hour period. Maintaining a temperature of 210° C. a vacuum of 100 mm. Hg was applied during the next 45 minutes, and 10 mm. Hg during the final 60 minutes of the reaction. A control-contrast reaction was carried out under similar reaction conditions substituting diphenylcarbonate for bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate. 
     (B) Second Stage Transesterification 
     The resulting first stage reaction BPA polycarbonate product was subsequently heated to 285° C. over a 1/2 hour period. 
     A summary of the first and second stage process temperature sequences and properties of the resulting polycarbonates is set out in Tables III and IV, respectively. 
     
                       TABLE III                                                   
______________________________________                                    
Summary of First and Second Stage Reaction Parameters                     
       Cumu-    Time                                                      
       lative   Individual                                                
Process                                                                   
       Reaction Interval/                                                 
Sequence                                                                  
       Time/hr. hr.       Temp.°C.                                 
                                 Pressure Hg.                             
______________________________________                                    
First                                                                     
Stage  2.0      2.0       155-210                                         
                                 air atm./760 mm                          
       2.75     0.75      210    air atm./100 mm                          
       3.75     1.00      210    air atm./ 10 mm                          
Summary                                                                   
       3.75     N.A..sup.1                                                
                          155-210                                         
                                 air atm./760-10mm                        
Second                                                                    
Stage  0.50     0.50      285    air amt./ 1 mm                           
Summary                                                                   
       4.25     N.A.      155-285                                         
                                 air atm./760-1 mm                        
______________________________________                                    
 .sup.1 same as previous Examples.                                        
 
    
     
                       TABLE IV                                                    
______________________________________                                    
Ex-           Primary                                                     
ample         Carbonate Starting                                          
                            BPA-Polycarbonate                             
No.   Stage   Material      color.sup.2                                   
                                     MW.sub.w.sup.3                       
                                          I.V..sup.4                      
______________________________________                                    
      First   bis(o-chloro- colorless                                     
                                     4,150                                
                                          --                              
              phenyl)carbonate                                            
II    First   diphenylcarbonate                                           
                            light gold-                                   
                                     1,100                                
                                          --                              
                            yellow                                        
I     Second  BPA-polycar-  colorless                                     
                                    56,700                                
                                          0.64                            
              bonate-MW.sub.w 4,150                                       
II    Second  BPA-polycar-  yellow  13,500                                
                                          0.21                            
              bonate-MW.sub.w 1,100                                       
______________________________________                                    
 FOOTNOTES:                                                               
 .sup.2,.sup.3 &amp; .sup.4 same as previous Examples.                        
 
    
     EXAMPLES V-VIII 
     A series of transesterification reactions were carried out according to the following process parameters. 
     (A) First Stage Transesterification 
     11.4 g. of bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2,2 (50.0 mmol.) and 14.3 g. of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate (50.5 mmol.) and 1.0 mg. of tetramethylammonium borontetrahydride (Me 4  NBH 4 ) (0.011 mmol.) blanketed under a nitrogen (N 2 ) atmosphere was heated for 60  minutes to a temperature of about 250° C. o-chlorophenol began to distill at about 210° C. After about one hour at 250° C., the pressure was varied accordingly: 100 mm Hg over the next 60 minutes, then 40 mm Hg for the next 30 minutes. Finally, the melt temperature was reduced to about 210° C. and the pressure decreased to about 1 mm Hg during the next 30 minutes. 
     (B) Second Stage Transesterification 
     The resulting first stage reaction BPA polycarbonate products were subsequently heated to temperatures of 285°-310° C. over a 1/2 or 1 hour period. 
     A summary of the first and second stage process temperature sequences and properties of the resulting polycarbonates is set out in Tables V and VI, respectively. 
     
                                           TABLE V                                 
__________________________________________________________________________
Summary of First and Second Stage Reaction Parameters                     
                Time                                                      
          Cumulative                                                      
                Individual                                                
     Process                                                              
          Reaction                                                        
                Interval/                                                 
Examples                                                                  
     Sequence                                                             
          Time/hr.                                                        
                hr.   Temp. °C.                                    
                            Pressure Hg.                                  
__________________________________________________________________________
V-VIII                                                                    
     First                                                                
          1.0   1.0    25-250                                             
                            N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                           
     Stage                                                                
          2.0   1.0   250   N.sub.2 atm./100 mm                           
          2.50  0.50  250   N.sub.2 atm./ 40 mm                           
          3.0   0.50  210   N.sub.2 atm./1 mm                             
&#34;    Summary                                                              
          3.0    N.A..sup.1                                               
                      250-210                                             
                            N.sub.2 atm./760-1 mm                         
V    Second                                                               
     Stage                                                                
          0.50  0.50  310   N.sub.2 atm./760-1 mm                         
&#34;    Summary                                                              
          3.50  N.A.  310   N.sub.2 atm./0.1 mm                           
VI   Second                                                               
     Stage                                                                
          1.0   1.0   300   N.sub.2 atm./0.1 mm                           
&#34;    Summary                                                              
          4.0   N.A.  300   N.sub.2 atm./760-0.1 mm                       
VII  Second                                                               
     Stage                                                                
          0.50  0.50  290   N.sub.2 atm./0.1 mm                           
&#34;    Summary                                                              
          3.5   N.A.  290   N.sub.2 atm./760-0.1 mm                       
VIII Second                                                               
     Stage                                                                
          0.50  0.50  285   N.sub.2 atm./0.1 mm                           
&#34;    Summary                                                              
          3.5   N.A.  285   N.sub.2 atm./760-0.1 mm                       
__________________________________________________________________________
 .sup.1 = same as previous Examples.                                      
 
    
     
                       TABLE VI                                                    
______________________________________                                    
Ex-           Primary                                                     
ample         Carbonate Starting                                          
                            BPA-Polycarbonate                             
No.   Stage    Material     Color.sup.2                                   
                                     MW.sub.w.sup.3                       
                                          I.V..sup.4                      
______________________________________                                    
V     First   bis(o-chlorophenyl)-                                        
                            colorless                                     
                                    15,200                                
                                          --                              
              carbonate                                                   
&#34;     Second  BPA-polycarbonate-                                          
                            &#34;       84,500                                
                                          0.90                            
              MW.sub.w 15,200                                             
VI    Second  BPA-polycarbonate-                                          
                            pale yellow                                   
                                    82,340                                
                                          0.87                            
              MW.sub.w 15,200                                             
VII   Second  BPS-polycarbonate-                                          
                            colorless                                     
                                    55,800                                
                                          0.62                            
              MW.sub.w 15200                                              
VIII  Second  BPA-polycarbonate-                                          
                            &#34;       44,100                                
                                          0.50                            
______________________________________                                    
 FOOTNOTES:                                                               
  .sup.2, .sup.3 &amp; .sup.4 = same as previous Examples.                    
 
    
     EXAMPLE IX 
     11.4 g. of bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane-2,2 (50.0 mmol.) and 14.2 g. of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate (50.25 mmol.) blanketed under a nitrogen (N 2 ) atmosphere was preheated to a temperature of about 100° C. The resulting melt mixture was then charged with 0.1×10 -3  mole percent LiOH catalyst (based on BPA) added in a 0.10 N LiOH/H 2  O solution. After catalyst addition, the melt temperature was raised sequentially accordingly: 100° C. to 230° C. over 1/2 hour, 230° C. to 260° C. over the next 15 minutes, and then maintained at 260° C. during the next 30 minutes. 
     A summary of the process temperature-pressure sequence and properties of the resulting polycarbonate is set out in Tables VII and VIII, respectively. 
     
                       TABLE VII                                                   
______________________________________                                    
Summary of First and Second Stage Reaction Parameters                     
Cumulative                                                                
Reaction                                                                  
        Time Individual                                                   
Time/hr.                                                                  
        Interval/hr. Temp. °C.                                     
                               Pressure Hg.                               
______________________________________                                    
0.50    0.50         100-230   N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                        
0.75    0.25         230-260   N.sub.2 atm./760 mm                        
1.00    0.25         260       N.sub.2 atm./ 40 mm                        
1.25    0.25         260       N.sub.2 atm./ 1 mm                         
1.25    N.A..sup.1   100-260   N.sub.2 atm./760-1 mm                      
______________________________________                                    
 .sup.1 = same as previous Examples.                                      
 
    
     
                       TABLE VIII                                                  
______________________________________                                    
Example                  BPA-Polycarbonate                                
No.    Carbonate Starting Material                                        
                         Color.sup.2                                      
                                   MW.sub.w.sup.3                         
                                        I.V..sup.4                        
______________________________________                                    
IX     bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate                                       
                         colorless                                        
                                  50,400                                  
                                        0.54                              
______________________________________                                    
 FOOTNOTES:                                                               
  .sup.2, .sup.3 &amp; .sup.4 = same as previous Examples.                    
 
    
     In general, the use of bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonates in the polycarbonate transesterification process of this patent provides advantages not associated with other carbonate transesterification substrates, such as diphenylcarbonate. The use of bis(ortho-haloaryl)carbonate substrates provides--when contrasted with diphenylcarbonate--the following advantages: (1) improved transesterification reaction rate, (2) less polycarbonate color formation during the transesterification reaction, (3) milder transesterification reaction conditions including lower temperatures (4) reduced amounts of carbonate substrate since only stoichiometric amounts or amounts slightly in excess, e.g. 0.5 to 1%, are required for complete conversion of all dihydric phenol to polycarbonate, and (5) reduced quantities of catalyst at improved reaction rate, temperature and pressure transesterification reaction conditions. Illustratively the transesterified polycarbonate end product derived from the process of this patent, preferably exhibit intrinsic viscosities of at least 0.3 and more preferably about 0.5 deciliters per gram (dl./g.) as measured in either methylene chloride or chloroform or similar solvent systems at 25° C. The upper intrinsic viscosity number is not critical, however, it will generally be about 1.5 dl./g. Especially useful polycarbonates generally have an intrinsic viscosity within the range of from about 0.38 to about 0.7 dl./g. Preferably, the polycarbonates have a number average molecular weight of at least about 5,000, and more preferably from about 10,000 to about 50,000. Polycarbonates of such molecular weight characteristics process easily inbetween about 450° F. and 650° F., and are generally suitable raw materials for the manufacture of filaments, fibers, films, sheets, laminates, and other thermoplastic articles of manufacture including reinforced articles employing conventional molding, extruding, etc., manufacturing techniques.