Polyphenylene ether capped with salicylic acid ester

• US 4,760,118 A
• Filed: 03/23/1987
• Issued: 07/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Socha, Laura A., White, Dwain M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ANDERSON, HAROLD
• Application Number:
  US07/028,857
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 525/397, 525/393, 525/394, 528/198, 528/199, 528/214
• US Class Current: 525/397
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 65/485 Polyphenylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/02 Organic macromolecular compounds, natural resins, waxes or and bituminous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/00 Compositions of polyesters obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic ester link in the main chain of polyester-amides C08L77/12; of polyester-imides C08L79/08; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 69/00 Compositions of polycarbonates; Compositions of derivatives of polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/126 modified by chemical after-treatment

Abstract

Polyphenylene ethers are capped by reaction in the melt with an ester of salicylic acid, anthranilic acid or a substituted derivative thereof; esters of salicylic acid, and especially salicylic carbonate and linear polysalicylates, are preferred. The capping reaction typically takes place at a temperature in the range of about 225°-325° C., employing about 5-12% by weight of the ester based on polyphenylene ether.

Claims

1. A method for capping a polyphenylene ether which comprises reacting said polyphenylene ether in the melt with at least one ester of salicylic acid or a substituted derivative thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the polyphenylene ether comprises a plurality of structural units having the formula ##STR14## and in each of said units independently, each Q¹ is independently halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, aminoalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy, or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms;

and each Q² is independently hydrogen, halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy or halohydrocarbonoxy as defined for Q¹.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein about 3-12% by weight of said ester is employed, based on polyphenylene ether.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein each Q¹ is methyl, each Q² is hydrogen and the reaction is effected at a temperature in the range of about 225°

-325°

C.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the ester is an ester of salicylic acid and about 6-10% thereof is employed, based on polyphenylene ether.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the polyphenylene ether contains end groups having at least one of the formulas ##STR15## wherein each R² is methyl or n-butyl.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein there is also present at least one polystyrene.

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein the ester has the formula ##STR16## wherein each R³ is independently hydrogen or an aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical, at least one R³ being other than hydrogen.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the ester is phenyl salicylate.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the ester is acetylsalicylic acid.

11. A method according to claim 5 wherein the ester has the formula ##STR17## wherein each Y is hydrogen or Si(R⁴)₃, at least one Y being Si(R⁴)₃, and each R⁴ is independently a C_1-4 alkyl radical.

12. A method according to claim 5 wherein the ester has the formula ##STR18##

13. A method according to claim 5 wherein the ester has the formula ##STR19## wherein n is 2 or 3.

14. A method according to claim 5 wherein the ester is a linear polysalicylate of the formula ##STR20## wherein n is at least 2.

15. A capped polyphenylene ether prepared by the method of claim 1.

16. A capped polyphenylene ether prepared by the method of claim 6.

17. A capped polyphenylene ether composition which comprises polymer molecules having end groups of at least one of the formulas ##STR21## ##STR22## wherein A is an unsubstituted or substituted o-phenylene radical;

each Q¹ is independently halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, aminoalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy, or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms; and

each Q² is independently hydrogen, halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy or halohydrocarbonoxy as defined for Q¹.

18. A composition according to claim 17 wherein the polyphenylene ether comprises a plurality of structural units having the formula ##STR23##

19. A composition according to claim 18 wherein each Q¹ is methyl and each Q² is hydrogen.

20. A composition according to claim 19 wherein A is unsubstituted.