General Electric Company

Linda L McCracken

Sterling B Brown

Ronald J Gambale

Patrick Joseph McCloskey

Timothy Brydon Burnell

Michael G Minnick

Choong Y Han

Kelvin T Okamoto

Eva Mardomingo-Sant&aacute;s

The stoichiometric ratio of dihydric phenol to diarylcarbonate during production of polycarbonates can be evaluated by infrared analysis, preferably using an FTIR spectrometer, to detect the amount of BPA or other dihydric phenol in the mix tank. In one format of the method, one or both of two characteristic peaks, reflecting the methyl CH bonds and hydroxyl OH bonds are evaluated. These peaks occur equally in BPA monomers and oligomers, and hence are independent of the degree of oligomerization or polymerization which has occurred. For this reason, monitoring of stoichiometry can be performed on the contents of the mix tank, or on the products from or contents of any downstream reactors. Using a calibration curve, the absorbance associated with these bonds is converted into a measure of the concentration of BPA and from that to first moles and then grams of BPA in the mixture being tested. The amount of DPC is determined by subtracting the number of grams of BPA from the total initial sample weight. In another format, a ratio of the size of the peaks associated with DPC carbonyl and BPA methyl is used directly to determine the ratio of DPC to BPA.

Infrared evaluation of the stoichiometric ratio of dihydric phenol to diarylcarbonate during production of polycarbonates

Triazine compounds are prepared by the reaction of a bisphenol, a monotetrahydropyranyl-protected bisphenol or a hydroxy-terminated polycarbonate with a chlorocyanurate containing epoxy and/or aromatic substituents. The compounds derived from bisphenols or protected bisphenols may be converted to polycarbonates, which form copolymers with other polymers containing acid or amine groups or derivatives thereof.

Triazine derivatives of monomeric and polymeric hydroxy compounds

Triazine compounds are prepared by the reaction of a bisphenol or a hydroxy-terminated polycarbonate with a chlorocyanurate containing epoxy and/or aromatic substituents. The compounds derived from bisphenols or protected bisphenols may be converted to polycarbonates, which form copolymers with other polymers containing acid or amine groups or derivatives thereof.

Copolymer compositions prepared from triazine derivatives of

Polyesters, especially poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(butylene terephthalate), having a substantial proportion of free carboxylic acid groups are caused to react with polyepoxy compounds, especially poly(O- or N-epoxyalkyl-substituted) cyclic amides, imides and amidates and preferably triglycidyl isocyanurate, in the presence of various amines or salts as catalysts. The preferred catalysts are fatty acid salts such as sodium sterate. The products have very high melt viscosities and are useful in such operations as blow molding.

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Clifton Park, NY, United States of America

Linda L McCracken