Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Exxon Chemical Patents, Inc.

Irving Kuntz

Constantine J Bouboulis

Kenneth W Powers

John B Gardiner

Isobutylene homopolymers and copolymers are prepared using a catalyst system comprising a haloadamantane component and a Lewis acid. Branched polymers are prepared using polyhaloadamantanes, the branches being attached to the adamantane at the former location of the halide. The preferred catalyst systems are diethylaluminum chloride and bromoadamantane as well as polybromo, or polychloroadamantanes.

Branched isoolefin polymer prepared with adamantane catalyst system

Adamantane polymerization catalyst

According to the present invention, an improved method for providing acrylic copolymer resins is provided in which the polymerization solvent comprises a blend of methyl isobutyl ketone and certain alkyl-substituted benzene solvents. The monomers comprise hydroxy-substituted alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers and non-hydroxy substituted alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers, and the process provides an improved method for forming low molecular weight acrylic resins useful as components in acrylic coatings. The polymerization solvent can remain in the resin to become a solvent employed in the higher solids coating containing the thus-formed acrylic resins and provides improved electrical resistivity, improved solvency and decreased surface tensions over prior art polymerization solvents.

Superior solvent blends for synthesis of acrylic resins for high solids

Sulfur vulcanizable elastomers comprise interpolymers of a major proportion of (a) one or more olefinic or haloolefinic hydrocarbons; (b) one or more esters of acrylic acid in which the acyclic or alicyclic radical moiety of the ester is free of olefinic unsaturation; and (c) a minor proportion, of about 0.10 to 10 mol percent of the total monomers present in the interpolymer, of an acyclic conjugated diolefin, prepared with a catalyst system comprising a Lewis acid, a vanadium compound and a source of free-radicals such as an organic peroxide. The polymer chain consists of segments of alternating olefin and acrylic ester monomer units of variable length interconnected by randomly distributed diolefin units and the sum of the olefin and diolefin monomers in moles is substantially equal to the sum of the acrylic esters in moles present in the interpolymer. Sulfur vulcanizates of these interpolymers exhibit high tensile, elongation and modulus and are amenable to blending with other elastomers, and compounding with fillers and reinforcing agents, or extension with process oils and plasticizers.

Sulfur vulcanizable interpolymers

Multipurpose lubricating oil additives having utility as viscosity index improvers, antiwear agents, sludge dispersants and pour point depressants comprise reaction products of (1) nitrogen compounds having one or more amino groups and/or (2) oxygen compounds having one or more hydroxyl, epoxide or ether groups and/or (3) sulfur compounds and/or (4) hydrogen with alternating interpolymers of monomers comprising (A) one or more polar monomers; (B) one or more olefinic monomers; and (C) a monomer similar to (A) or (B) but containing in addition a reactive group that reacts with (1), (2), (3) or (4).

Multifunctional alternating interpolymer lubricating oil additive

A continuous process for the preparation of gel-free interpolymers from monomers comprising one or more halomethylated vinyl aromatic compounds and one or more Type III monoolefins is characterized by the use of a solvent or mixture of solvents in which the reactants and the interpolymers are soluble; a soluble Lewis acid or Friedel-Crafts catalyst, especially an organo-Group IIIa element halide catalyst; a reaction temperature in the range of -120.degree. C to -20.degree. C; and a conversion of at least one of the monomers to interpolymer in excess of 85 percent. The interpolymers may be crosslinked with nucleophilic reagents to produce elastomeric compositions; quaternized with nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorous compounds to give self-emulsifying latices useful as surface coatings or converted to sulfonic or carboxylic derivatives for the preparation of ionomer resins. The interpolymers are also versatile intermediates which enable the preparation by simple substitution reactions of a wide range of functional-group containing elastomers especially useful in adhesive applications, and as flexibilizers for brittle functional-group containing plastics such as epoxies and amino resins.

Halomethylated aromatic interpolymers

Alternating elastomeric interpolymers comprised of: (A) about 50 mol percent of one or more acyclic or alicyclic esters of acrylic acid wherein the ester radical moiety is free of olefinic unsaturation or readily replaceable halogen; (B) one or more of acyclic or alicyclic Type I or Type III mono-olefins; and (C) 0.3 to 30 mol percent of one or more halomethylated aromatic vinyl compounds, the sum of the (B) and (C) components totalling about 50 mol percent of the interpolymer. The interpolymers can be readily substituted or crosslinked with nucleophilic reagents at moderate temperatures. The crosslinked elastomers possess good tensile strength, elongation and modulus and have utility as general purpose, or particularly as oil and heat resistant elastomers.

Alternating elastomeric interpolymers

A thermally-staged process for preparing polymers, particularly alternating interpolymers of one or more polar monomers and one or more mono or polyolefins which comprises: (1) reacting, in a first stage, a polar monomer-Lewis Acid complex with an olefin in the presence of an active oxygen compound at a temperature of about -100.degree.C to about 0.degree.C for a time sufficient enough to allow for conversion of up to 50% of the polar monomer to interpolymer; (2) raising the temperature of the reaction mixture, in a second stage, to about 0.degree. to about 100.degree.C; (3) maintaining the reaction mixture at about 0.degree. to about 100.degree.C for a time sufficient to optimize the yield of interpolymer; and (4) recovering the interpolymer from the reaction mixture. Polymers prepared by the temperature-staged process of this invention possess substantially higher molecular weights than the same polymers made by prior art processes. The polymers are useful as vulcanizable elastomers, thermoplastics and lubricating oil additives.

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Linden, NJ, United States of America

Irving Kuntz