Process for the preparation of polyarylene sulphides

Abstract

High molecular weight p-polyarylensulfides having a high melt viscosity, capable of being processed thermoplastically, and have good mechanical properties are produced by reacting components (a), (b), and (c) in a polar solvent with a molar ratio of (a):(c) in the range of 0.85:1 to 1.15:1 and a molar ratio of (c): solvent in the range of 1:2 to 1:15, for a time of up to 10 hours at a temperature of from 160.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., and in the presence of from 2 to 100 mole percent, relative to (c), of an N,N-dialkylcarboxamide; wherein component (a) is dihalogenobenzene with 50 to 100 mole percent of the formula ##STR1## and 0 to 50 mole percent of the formula ##STR2## wherein X is fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo, and R is the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, alkaryl having 7 to 24 carbon atoms, aralkyl having 7 to 24 carbon atoms, and two R moieties linked together forming aryl having 6 to 24 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic moiety having an oxygen, nitrogen or sulphur hetero-atom and having 6 to 24 carbon atoms; with the proviso that at least one R is not hydrogen; component (b) is 0.1 to 2.4 mole percent, relative to the dihalogenobenzene, of a polyhalogenoaromatic of the formula