Patent ID: 8466253

Claim:
A method of purifying a capped poly(phenylene ether), comprising: mixing a capped poly(phenylene ether) solution comprising a capped poly(phenylene ether), a capping agent, a capping byproduct, a capping catalyst, and a poly(phenylene ether) solvent selected from the group consisting of toluene, xylenes, mesitylene, styrene, chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzenes, chloroform, and combinations thereof, and first washing solvents comprising a C1-C4 alkanol and water to form a first liquid phase comprising the capped poly(phenylene ether) and poly(phenylene ether) solvent, and a second liquid phase comprising C1-C4 alkanol and water; and separating the first liquid phase from the second liquid phase; wherein the first liquid phase and the second liquid phase are present in a volume ratio of 1.5:1 to 10:1; wherein the first and second liquid phases combined comprise, based on 100 mole percent total of the poly(phenylene ether) solvent, C1-C4 alcohol, and water: 24 to 92 mole percent poly(phenylene ether) solvent, 1 to 56 mole percent C1-C4 alkanol, and 3 to 74 mole percent water; and wherein the first liquid phase comprises at least 95 weight percent of the capped poly(phenylene ether) in solution.