Water-soluble high polymers and their preparation

Abstract

In the production of a water-soluble, cationic high polymer of (A) at least one of acrylamide and methacrylamide and (B) at least one of ammonium type monomers of either one of the formulas: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each a lower alkyl group, R.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxy(lower)alkyl group, a benzyl group or a group of the formula: --CH.sub.2 COO(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.sub.3 (m being an integer of 0 or 1), R.sub.5 .crclbar. is a group of either one of the formulas: --(CH.sub.2).sub.2 COO.crclbar. and --(CH.sub.2).sub.3 SO.sub.3 .crclbar., X is a halogen atom or an acid residue, Y is --O-- or --NH-- and n is an integer of 1 to 4, a process which comprises initiating the polymerization of the monomeric component (A) with or without a portion of the monomeric component (B) in an aqueous medium containing an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of acetone, acetonitrile, t-butanol, tetrahydrofuran and dioxane at a concentration of about 15 to 70% by weight until the polymerization proceeds to a certain extent and then continuing polymerization while adding the remaining portion of the monomeric component (B) thereto under the occasional supplementation of a water-miscible organic solvent thereto so as to keep an appropriate viscosity of the reaction system to produce the high polymer in a high yield with ease.