Abstract:
Polyoxymethylenes are produced by the polymerization of anhydrous low oligomers of formaldehyde in the presence of aliphatic or araliphatic ether, acetals, ketals, esters or carboxylic acid anhydrides all of which contain the structural unit R-O-R1 once or several times wherein R and R1 are like or different organic radicals. Specified materials are polypropylene oxide, polyvinyl isopropyl ether, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetate, polymethylmethacrylate, cellulose acetobutyrate, polycarbonates, polyethylene terephthalate, methyl methacrylatestyrene copolymer, polymeric adipic anhydride, diisopropyl ether, methyl benzyl ether, dibenzyl and diallyl ether, chloromethylether, anisole, diphenyl oxide, cyclohexyl methyl ether, butyl phenyl ether, dimethyl formal, diethyl formal, diethyl acetate, glycol formal, propanediol formal, 1-3-dioxacycloheptane tetrahydrofuran, 1-3-dioxolane, b -propiolactone, 4-phenyl-1-3-dioxane, 1-2-propylene glycol carbonate, and the polycarbonate of 4-41-dihydroxyphenyl-2-2-propane. Organic solvents e.g. methylene chloride, nitrobenzene and toluene may be present as may also ionic catalysts e.g. antimony pentachloride, boron fluoride etherate, and iodine and antioxidants. Specifications 570,884, 744,336, 770,717 and 796,863 also are referred to.