GB691036A - Etherification of vinyl phenol polymers or copolymers - Google Patents

Abstract

Polymers and copolymers of ortho and meta vinyl phenols and their lower nuclear homologues are etherified by reaction with an unsaturated or saturated alkyl inorganic ester, e.g. dimethyl or diethyl sulphate, allyl or b -methallyl chloride, bromide or iodide but not fluoride. Copolymers with compounds such as butadiene hydrocarbons, chloroprene, styrene compounds, vinyl naphthalenes, acenaphthylene, N-vinyl pyridine, cyclopentadiene, vinyl and vinylidene halides, vinyl esters, acrylic esters, acrolein, or allyl compounds may be used. The polymer may be treated in a solution or dispersion in an alkaline polar medium, e.g. water or lower aliphatic alcohol or a non-polar medium, e.g. benzene or benzene-alcohol mixture, and in the latter case a quaternary ammonium hydroxide condensing agent is preferable. Films formed from a solution of the product in benzene containing tert-butyl hydroperoxide may be rendered insoluble on heating. In a modification the polymeric resin is treated with both an aldehyde and an etherifying agent, together or separately in one or two stages to yield a thermosetting resin which may be used as a moulding powder when compounded with fillers, plasticizers and lubricants, or used as a lacquer or adhesive when in a solution or dispersion. In examples poly-m-vinyl phenol, copolymers of m-vinyl phenol with styrene or methyl acrylate, and of o-vinyl phenol with styrene are etherified, the alkaline agents used being sodium hydroxide, methyl pyridinium hydroxide and tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide; and poly-m-vinyl phenol is reacted simultaneously with dimethyl sulphate and formaldehyde. Specifications 691,037, 691,038 and 691,040 are referred to.