High refractive index thermoplastic polyphosphonates

• US 6,288,210 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson), Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
• Inventors: Sekharipuram, Venkat, McGrath, James E., Bhatnagar, Atul, Shobha, Hosadurga K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Duc
• Application Number:
  US09/439,825
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 528/398, 528/176, 528/167, 525/538, 525/97, 525/210, 525/212, 351/159, 264/1.32
• US Class Current: 528/398
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 79/04 Phosphorus linked to oxygen or to oxygen and carbon

Abstract

High refractive index, melt processable polyphosphonates and methods for preparing the same are provided. These polymers are particularly useful for optical and ophthalmic parts, such as lenses. A method of preparing optical and ophthalmic lenses by injection molding the polymers of the present invention into the form of the optical or ophthalmic lenses is also provided.

Claims

1. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer having units of the formula:

wherein R¹, R², and R³ are independently O or S;

at least one of R¹, R², and R³ is S;

R⁴ is a linear or branched C₁-C₄ alkyl or C₁-C₄ haloalkyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, biphenyl, or cyclohexyl; and

R⁵ is

 

or any combination of any of the foregoing.

2. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein R² is S.

3. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein R¹ and R³ are O.

4. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein R⁴ is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, s-butyl, chloropropyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, biphenyl, and cyclohexyl.

5. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 4, wherein R⁴ is phenyl.

6. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein R⁵ is

or any combination of any of the foregoing.

7. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein said copolymer is a random copolymer.

8. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 1, wherein said copolymer is a block copolymer.

9. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer having units of the formula:

wherein R⁶, R⁷, and R⁸ are independently O or S;

R⁹ is a linear or branched C₁-C₄ alkyl or C₁-C₄ haloalkyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, biphenyl, or cyclohexyl; and

R¹⁰ is

10. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer as defined in claim 9, wherein R⁶ and R⁸ are O.

11. A phosphonate homopolymer or copolymer having units of the formula:

wherein R¹ and R³ are independently O or S;

at least one of R¹ and R³ is S;

R² is O;

R⁴ is a linear or branched C₁-C₄ alkyl or C₁-C₄ haloalkyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, biphenyl, or cyclohexyl; and

R⁵ is

or any combination of any of the foregoing.

12. A phosphonate copolymer comprising

(a) a first unit having the formula

 

wherein R¹⁶, R¹⁷, and R¹⁸ are independently O or S;

R¹⁹ is phenyl; and

R²⁰ is

 

or any combination of any of the foregoing; and

(b) a second unit having the formula

 

wherein R²¹, R²², and R²³ are independently O or S;

at least one of R²¹, R²², and R²³ is S;

R²⁴ is linear or branched C₁-C₄ alkyl or C₁-C₄ haloalkyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl, biphenyl, or cyclohexyl; and

R²⁵ is

 

or any combination of any of the foregoing, wherein the first and second units are different.