GB1086021A - Process for the production of aromatic polyketones - Google Patents

Abstract

Aromatic polyketones are prepared by reacting either (i) a mixture of (a) at least one compound containing two aromatically bound carbonyl halide groups and (b) at least one compound containing at least two aromatically bound hydrogen atoms, preferably in substantially equimolar proportions, or (ii) at least one compound containing a single carbonyl halide group and a hydrogen atom each bound to an aromatic ring or (iii) a mixture of the three types of compounds specified in (i) and (ii) above, in the presence of from 0.05 to 6% of the weight of the polymerizable material of a salt of iron which is soluble in the molten polymerizable mixture. The preferred dicarbonyl halides are those of the structure: <FORM:1086021/C3/1> <FORM:1086021/C3/2> <FORM:1086021/C3/3> or substituted derivatives thereof, wherein Y is a divalent bridging radical and is preferably oxygen, sulphur or groups of the structure: <FORM:1086021/C3/4> where K and K1 ar oxygen or sulphur atoms and L is-CO-or SO2 and X is a halogen atom, preferably chlorine. If the benzene ring is to be further substituted then halogen atoms, hydrocarbon, ether and thioether groups and halogen substituted derivatives of these groups are preferred. The compound (b) may suitably be a compound having a structure similar to the dicarbonyl halides but in which the carbonyl halide groups are replaced by hydrogen atoms. At least one of the compounds (a) or (b) should be one containing benzene rings bridged by a divalent radical and the other is preferably one containing benzene rings directly linked to one another. The compounds used in method (ii) may be exactly similar to the dicarbonyl halides (a) but excluding one of the carbonyl halide groups. Ferric chloride is the preferred catalyst, but other ferrous and ferric salts such as ferric fluoride, ferric bromide, ferric iodide, ferric orthophosphate and ferrous and ferric acetoacetonates may also be used.