Process for production of styrene polymers

• US 4,680,353 A
• Filed: 10/23/1986
• Issued: 07/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1985
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Company Limited
• Inventors: Ishihara, Nobuhide, Kuramoto, Masahiko, Uoi, Michitake
• Primary Examiner(s): Michl, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/923,395
• Time in Patent Office: 264 Days
• Field of Search: 526/159, 526/92, 526/160, 526/138
• US Class Current: 526/160
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 12/04 containing one ring
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/64 Titanium, zirconium, hafnium or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/6428 with an aluminoxane, i.e. a compound containing an Al-O-Al- group
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/65912 in combination with an organoaluminium compound
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 4/6592 containing at least one cyclopentadienyl ring, condensed or not, e.g. an indenyl or a fluorenyl ring

Abstract

A process for production of styrene polymers of high syndiotactic configuration is disclosed, comprising polymerizing styrene or styrene derivatives by the use of a catalyst comprising: (A) a titanium compound, e.g., at least one compound selected from those represented by the formulae: TiR¹_a R²_b R³_c X¹₄ -(a+b+c) and TiR¹_d R²_e X¹_3-(d+e) (all the symbols are as defined in the appended claims); and (B) a contact product of an organoaluminum compound and a condensation agent, e.g., a product resulting from modification of trimethylaluminum with water. Because of such high syndiotactic configuration, the styrene polymers are greater in thermal resistance and solvent resistance than conventional atactic polystyrene.

Claims

1. A process for producing styrene polymers which comprises polymerizing styrene or styrene derivatives by the use of a catalyst comprising:

(A) a titanium compound, and

(B) a contact product of an organoaluminum compound and a condensation agent.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the titanium compound is at least one compound selected from titanium compounds and titanium chelate compounds represented by the general formulae:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">TiR.sup.1.sub.a R.sup.2.sub.b R.sup.3.sub.c X.sup.1.sub.4-(a+b+c) and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">TiR.sup.1.sub.d R.sup.2.sub.e X.sup.1.sub.3-(d+e)

(wherein R¹, R² and R³ each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl group, an arylalkyl group, an acyloxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group or an indenyl group, X¹ represents a halogen atom, a, b and c each represent an integer of 0 to 4, and d and e each represent an integer of 0 to

     3).

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component (B) is a product resulting from modification of trimethylaluminum with water.