Abstract:
An aqueous-phase catalyst composition including a metal ion including copper, nickel, manganese or iron and a water-soluble linear polymer having a molecular weight ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 is provided. The metal ion and the water-soluble linear polymer have a weight ratio of 1:1 to 1:5. A method for preparing polyphenylene ether including providing the disclosed aqueous-phase catalyst composition and adding phenolic monomers to the aqueous-phase catalyst composition to proceed to a polymerization reaction to prepare polyphenylene ether is also provided.