Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F110/00—Homopolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
  • C08F110/02—Ethene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F10/00—Homopolymers and copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for the radical polymerization or copolymerization of ethylene at high pressures using a hydroxylamine ester as radical initiator.
• a further aspect is the use of specific hydroxylamine esters as radical initiators for the (co)polymeri- zation of ethylene.
• PE ethylene polymers
• polymerization techniques e.g. high pressure radically initiated polymerization, leading to low density polyethylene (LDPE), coordination polymerization with Ziegler-Natta-, chromium-, aluminium- catalysts, leading to high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polymerization with metallocene catalysts, which affect the molecular structure, such as degree of branching, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution as measured by the polydisperity as well as the physical properties, such as density, crystallinity, melting point and the processing behaviour.
• LDPE low density polyethylene
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• metallocene catalysts which affect the molecular structure, such as degree of branching, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution as measured by the polydisperity as well as the physical properties, such as density, crystallinity, melting point and the processing behaviour.
• the density of low density polyethylene may vary from 0.910 - 0.955 g/cm 3 , whereas commercial products usually have densities of 0.916 - 0.935.
• the degree of crystallinity of such products varies between 45 - 55% with melting points between 105 - 115° C.
• LDPE has a random branching structure and contains besides alkyl substituents (short chain branches coming from "back biting" reactions during polymerization) also long chain branches formed by molecular rearrangements of the PE backbone during chain growth.
• Ethylene polymers are obtained by homopolymerizing ethylene or by copolymerizing it with at least one comonomer in a polymerization system, which operates continuously under pressures of 500 - 3500 bar (50 - 350 Mpa) and at temperatures of 120 - 400° C.
• the polymerization is carried out in continuous tubular reactors or stirred autoclaves in the presence of initiators and optionally of transfer agents (e.g.
• n-alkanes, ketones, aldehydes, thiols which adjust the molecular weights of the resulting polymers, however, on the expense of broadening the molecular weight distribution.
• Most commonly peroxides or hydroperoxides are used as intiators.
• the polymers are subsequently separated from the volatile substances after their removal from the reactor in separators.
• a general description of manufacturing processes, properties and use of ethylene polymers is for example given in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Vol. A21, Editors: B. Elvers, S. Hawkins, G. Schulz, 5th completely rev. ed. 1992, VCH Verlags GmbH, Weinheim, pp. 487-517.
• Molecular structure and physical properties of polyethylenes are not only influenced by manufacturing conditions but also by the type of initiator used.
• the rate of decomposition i.e. its half-life time (as a rule -0.1 - 1 sec under a given temperature profile), has direct influence on the polymerization rate and, therefore, on the heat of polymerization.
• the initiator consumption can be considered as a measure for initiator efficiency which influences not only the molecular weight of the resulting polymer but also affects the concentration of end groups (initiator fragments) and decomposition products. Common values for peroxides are 10 - 1000 g/t polymer.
• US 6 479 608 discloses heterocyclic alkoxyamines, which are useful initiator/regulator compounds for the controlled polymerization of a variety of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. These compounds split into a regulating NO radical and an inititiating carbon centered radical.
• the instant invention provides a different solution for the preparation of polyethylenes with even narrower polydispersities by using solely the hydroxylamine esters of the instant invention as radical initiators. These compounds allow an excellent control of the polyethylene polymerization process without the need to adjust the ratio of different molecules. Furthermore the process can be carried out advantageously at comparatively low temperatures. Moreover, as the method of the present invention can be performed at low temperatures, copolymers of ethylene with e.g. styrene, vinylacetate and narrow molecular weight distribution are accessible. These copolymers are not accessible at high temperatures due to the ceiling temperature of these monomers, which results otherwise in a polymeri- zation/depolymerization equilibrium with only low molecular weight products unsuitable for industrial applications.
• Hydroxylamine esters do not form any nitroxyl radicals during decomposition but selectively cleave into aminyl and carbon centered radicals, which surprisingly are able to initiate ethylene polymerization under high pressure. The result is a polyethylene with low polydispersity.
• One aspect of the invention is a method for the polymerization or copolymerization of ethylene at an operating pressure of from 500 to 3500 bar, at a polymerization temperature between 100° and 400° C in a suitable high pressure reactor, operating continuously or batch wise by the use of a radical polymerization initiator, characterized in that the radical polymerization initiator is a hydroxylamine ester containing a structural element of formula (I) or (!') (I') wherein
• X is hydrogen, C Csealkyl, C ⁇ -C 36 alkyl which is substituted by halogen, C 5 -Ci 2 cycloalkyl, C 7 - C 12 bicyclo- or tricycloalkyl, C 2 -C 36 alkenyl, C 2 -C ⁇ 8 alkynyl, Ce-Cioaryl, -O-C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl, -O-C 6 -C 10 aryl, -NH-C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl, -NH-C 6 -C 10 aryl, -N(C 1 -C 6 alkyl) 2 ;
• X' is a direct bond or C ⁇ -C 36 alkylene, C 2 -C 36 alkenylene, C 2 -C 36 alkynylene ] -(C ⁇ -C 6 alkylene)-phenyl-(C ⁇ -C 6 alkylene) or a group
• the operating pressure is of from 1000 to 3000 bar.
• the polymerization temperature is of from 140° to 300° C.
• the polydispersity, PD, of the resulting polyethylene is between 1.2 and 4.5, in particular between 1.2 and 3.5.
• the hydroxylamine ester is, for example, used in an amount of from 5 to 500 parts per million, preferably of from 5 to 300 parts per million and more preferably of from 10 to 200 parts per million based on the weight of the total reaction mixture.
• Suitable reactors for high pressure ethylene polymerization using peroxides are well known and for example described by H. Seidl, G. Lucas, J. Macromol. Sci.-Chem. 1981, A15(1), pp. 1- 33.
• the process is typically a continuous process using, for example, a continuous tubular reactor or a stirred autoclave reactor.
• a detailed flow sheet is for example given in US 6 562 915
• the hydroxylamine ester is preferably a compound of formula (la) or (I'a)
• X is hydrogen, C ⁇ -C 36 alkyl, C ⁇ -C 36 alkyl which is substituted by halogen, C ⁇ -C ⁇ 2 cycloalkyl, C 7 - C ⁇ 2 bicyclo- or tricycloalkyl, C 2 -C 36 alkenyl, C 2 -C ⁇ 8 alkynyl, C 6 -C ⁇ oaryl, -O-C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl, -O-C 6 -C ⁇ oaryl, -NH-d-Ci ⁇ alkyI, -NH-Ce-Cioaryl, -N(C ⁇ -C 6 alkyl) 2 ;
• X' is a direct bond or C ⁇ -C 3 6alkylene, C 2 -C 36 alkenylene, C 2 -C36alkynylene, phenylene, -(C ⁇ -C 6 alkylene)-phenyl-(C ⁇ -C 6 alkylene) or a group
• R'2o. R30 and R' 30 are each independently of the others unsubstituted, halo-, CN-, NO 2 - or -COOR 0 -substituted or O- or NR 40 -interrupted C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl, C 2 -C ⁇ 8 alkenyl, C 2 -C ⁇ 8 alkynyl;
• R 0 is hydrogen, phenyl or C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl
• R 20 and R 30 and/or R' 20 and R' 30l together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form a 5- or 6-membered ring which may be interrupted by a nitrogen or oxygen atom and which may be substituted one or more times by C ⁇ -C 6 alkyl groups and carboxyl groups.
• C ⁇ -C 8 Alkyl may be, for example, the groups mentioned above and also, in addition, for example, n-tridecyl, n-tetradecyl, n-hexadecyl and n-octadecyl.
• C 2 -C 36 alkenyl may be, for example, 1-propenyl, allyl, methallyl, 2-butenyl, 2-pentenyl, 2- hexenyl, 2-octenyl or4-tert-butyl-2-butenyl.
• C 2 -C 36 alkinyl may be, for example, propinyl, butinyl, hexinyl or dodecinyl
• Cycloalkyl is, for example, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl or cycloheptyl.
• Any substituents that are C 2 -C ⁇ 2 alkylene are, for example, ethylene, propylene, 2,2-dimethyl- propylene, tetramethylene, hexamethylene, octamethylene, decamethylene or dodeca- methylene.
• Any substituents that are aryl are for example phenyl or naphthyl.
• Any substituents that are C 6 -C 15 arylene are, for example, o-, m- or p-phenylene, 1,4- naphthylene or 4,4'-diphenylene.
• Halogen is F, Cl, Br and I.
• Alky I substituted by halogen is for example trifluormethyl.
• hydroxylamine esters are known and for example described in WO 02/092653.
• hydroxylamine esters and the preparation thereof are described in WO 01/90113.
• Preferred hydroxylamine esters are of formula (la) wherein R 20 and R 30 , together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form a piperidine ring which is substituted in the 2,2- and 6,6-positions by C C 4 alkyl groups and in the 4-position has an ether, amine, amide, urethane, ester or ketal group. Special preference is given to cyclic ketals.
• hydroxylamine esters are of formula (A), (B), (C) or (O)
• G ⁇ , G 2 , G 3 and G 4 are each independently of the others alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• G 5 and G ⁇ are each independently of the other hydrogen or C ⁇ -C alkyl;
• m is a number 1-2;
• R when m is 1, is hydrogen, uninterrupted CrC ⁇ 8 alkyl or C 2 -C ⁇ 8 alkyl interrupted by one or more oxygen atoms, or is cyanoethyl, benzoyl, glycidyl, a monovalent radical of an aliphatic carboxylic acid having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, of a cydoaliphatic carboxylic acid having from 7 to 15 carbon atoms or of an ⁇ , ⁇ -unsatu rated carboxylic acid having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms or of an aromatic carboxylic acid containing from 7 to 15 carbon atoms, it being possible for each carboxylic acid to be substituted in the aliphatic, cydoaliphatic or aromatic unit by from 1 to 3 groups -COOZ 12 wherein Z 12 is hydrogen, d-C ⁇ kyl, C 3 -C ⁇ 2 alkenyl, C 5 - C 7 cycloalkyl, phenyl or benzyl; or R is a mono
• R when m is 2, is C 2 -C ⁇ 2 alkylene, C -C ⁇ 2 alkenylene, xylylene, a bivalent radical of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having from 2 to 36 carbon atoms or of a cydoaliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms or of an aliphatic, cydoaliphatic or aromatic dicarbamic acid having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, it being possible for each dicarboxylic acid to be substituted in the aliphatic, cydoaliphatic or aromatic unit by one or two groups -COOZ 12 ; or
• R is a bivalent radical of a phosphorus-containing acid or a bivalent silyl radical
• Ri is d-C ⁇ alkyl, C 5 -C 7 cycloalkyl, C 7 -C 8 aralkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkanoyl, C 3 -C 5 alkenoyl or benzoyl;
• R 2 is d-C ⁇ 8 alkyl, C 5 -C 7 cycloalkyl, C 2 -C 8 alkenyl, each unsubstituted or substituted by a cyano, carbonyl or carbamide group, or is glycidyl, a group of formula -CH 2 CH(OH)-Z or of formula -CO-Z or -CONH-Z, wherein Z is hydrogen, methyl or phenyl; n is a number 1 or 2; when n is 1 ,
• R 3 is C 2 -C 8 alkylene or hydroxyalkylene or C 4 -C 36 acyloxyalkylene; or, when n is 2,
• R 3 is (-CH )2C(CH 2 -)2 and
• X is as defined above.
• a likewise preferred group consists of hydroxylamines wherein d and G 2 are ethyl and G 3 and G 4 are methyl, or Gi and G 3 are ethyl and G 2 and G 4 are methyl; and G 5 and G 6 are each independently of the other hydrogen or methyl.
• C 4 -C 36 Acyloxyalkylene is, for example, 2-ethyl-2-acetoxymethylpropylene.
• R 3 is especially a group of the formula
• the substituent X is selected from the group consisting of C ⁇ -C 36 alkyl, C 2 -C ⁇ 9 alkenyl and C 6 -C ⁇ 0 aryl.
• X is hydrogen or C ⁇ -C ⁇ 8 alkyl and R ⁇ 00 is C 4 -C 2 alkyl
• hydroxylamine esters are oligomers or polymers obtained by reacting a dicarboxylic acid with a compound of formula A1 or B1 or by reacting a diisocyanate with a compound of formula A1
• G ⁇ , G 2 , G 3 and G are each independently of the others C ⁇ -C 4 alkyl, or G ⁇ and G 2 together and G 3 and G together, or Gi and G 2 together or G 3 and G 4 together are pentamethylene;
• G 5 and G 6 are each independently of the other hydrogen or d-C 4 alkyl
• Ri is C ⁇ -C ⁇ 2 alkyl, Cs-Cycycloalkyl, C 7 -C 8 aralkyl, C 2 -d 8 alkanoyl, C 3 -C 5 alkenoyl or benzoyl.
• the compounds of formula A1 may be reacted to form polyesters.
• the polyesters may be homo- or co-polyesters that are derived from aliphatic, cydoaliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acids and diols and a compound of formula A1.
• the aliphatic dicarboxylic acids may contain from 2 to 40 carbon atoms, the cydoaliphatic dicarboxylic acids from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, the aromatic dicarboxylic acids from 8 to 14 carbon atoms, the aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids from 2 to 12 carbon atoms and the aromatic and cydoaliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids from 7 to 14 carbon atoms.
• polyesters in small amounts, for example from 0.1 to 3 mol %, based on the dicarboxylic acids present, to be branched by means of more than difunctional monomers (for example, pentaerythritol, trimellitic acid, 1,3,5-tri(hydroxyphenyl)benzene, 2,4- dihydroxybenzoic acid or 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propane).
• difunctional monomers for example, pentaerythritol, trimellitic acid, 1,3,5-tri(hydroxyphenyl)benzene, 2,4- dihydroxybenzoic acid or 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propane.
• Suitable dicarboxylic acids are linear and branched saturated aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, aromatic dicarboxylic acids and cydoaliphatic dicarboxylic acids.
• Suitable aliphatic dicarboxylic acids are those having from 2 to 40 carbon atoms, for example oxalic acid, malonic acid, dimethylmalonic acid, succinic acid, pimelic acid, adipic acid, trimethyladipic acid, sebacic acid, azelaic acid and dimeric acids (dimerisation products of unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids such as oleic acid), alkylated malonic and succinic acids such as octadecylsuccinic acid.
• Suitable cydoaliphatic dicarboxylic acids are: 1,3-cyclobutanedicarboxylic acid, 1,3-cyclo- pentanedicarboxylic acid, 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, 1,3- and 1,4- (dicarboxylmethyl)cyclohexane and 4,4'-dicyclohexyldicarboxylic acid.
• Suitable aromatic dicarboxylic acids are: especially terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, o- phthalic acid, and 1,3-, 1,4-, 2,6- or 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4'-diphenyl- dicar boxy lie acid, 4,4'-diphenylsulfonedicarboxylic acid, 4,4'-benzophenonedicarboxylic acid, 1,1,3-trimethyl-5-carboxyl-3-(p-carboxylphenyl)-indan, 4,4'-diphenyl ether dicarboxylic acid, bis-p-(carboxylphenyl)-methane or bis-p-(carboxylphenyl)-ethane.
• aromatic dicarboxylic acids Preference is given to the aromatic dicarboxylic acids and, amongst those, especially terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid and 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid.
• dicarboxylic acids are those that contain -CO-NH- groups; they are described in DE-A 2414 349.
• Dicarboxylic acids that contain N-heterocyclic rings are also suitable, for example those that are derived from carboxylalkylated, carboxylphenylated or carboxybenzylated monoamine-s-triazinedicarboxylic acids (cf. DE-A 2 121 184 and 2533675), mono- or bis-hydantoins, optionally halogenated benzimidazoles or parabanic acid.
• the carboxyalkyl groups therein may contain from 3 to 20 carbon atoms.
• suitable aliphatic diols are the linear and branched aliphatic glycols, especially those having from 2 to 12, more especially from 2 to 6, carbon atoms in the molecule, for example: ethylene glycol, 1,2- and 1 ,3-propylene glycol, 1,2-, 1,3-, 2,3- or 1,4-butanediol, pentyl glycol, neopentyl glycol, 1,6-hexanediol and 1,12-dodecanediol.
• a suitable cydoaliphatic diol is, for example, 1 ,4-dihydroxycyclohexane.
• aliphatic diols are, for example, 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane, aromatic-aliphatic diols such as p-xylylene glycol or 2,5-dichloro-p-xylylene glycol, 2,2-( ⁇ -hydroxyethoxyphenyl)- propane and also polyoxyalkylene glycols such as diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol.
• the alkylene diols are preferably linear and contain especially from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
• Polyoxyalkylene glycols having molecular weights of from 150 to 40000 are also suitable.
• aromatic diols mention is made of those wherein two hydroxy groups are bonded to one or to different aromatic hydrocarbon radical (s).
• Preferred diols are the alkylene diols, and 1 ,4-dihydroxycyclohexane and 1,4-bis(hydroxy- methyl)cyclohexane. Special preference is given to ethylene glycol, 1 ,4-butanediol, and also 1 ,2- and 1 ,3-propylene glycol.
• aliphatic diols are the ⁇ -hydroxyalkylated, especially ⁇ -hydroxyethylated, bisphenols such as 2,2-bis[4'-( ⁇ -hydroxyethoxy)phenyl]propane. Further bisphenols are mentioned hereinafter.
• a further group of suitable aliphatic diols comprises the heterocyclic diols described in German Offenlegungsschriften 1 812003, 2 342432, 2342372 and 2453326.
• Examples are: N,N , -bis( ⁇ -hydroxyethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-hydantoin, N,N'-bis( ⁇ -hydroxypropyl)-5,5-dimethyl- hydantoin, methylenebis[N-( ⁇ -hydroxyethyl)-5-methyl-5-ethylhydantoin], methylenebis[N-( ⁇ - hydroxyethyl)-5,5-dimethylhydantoin], N,N'-bis( ⁇ -hydroxyethyl)benzimidazolone, N,N'-bis( ⁇ - hydroxyethyl)-(tetrachloro)-benzimidazolone and N,N'-bis( ⁇ -hydroxyethyl)-(tetrabromo
• Suitable aromatic diols include mononuclear diphenols and, especially, binuclear diphenols carrying a hydroxyl group on each aromatic nucleus.
• "Aromatic” is understood to refer preferably to hydrocarbon-aromatic radicals, for example phenylene or naphthylene.
• hydroquinone, resorcinol and 1 ,5-, 2,6- and 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene special mention should be made of bisphenols that can be represented by the following formulae:
• the hydroxyl groups may be in the m-position, but especially in the p-position; R' and R" in those formulae may be alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, halogen such as chlorine or bromine, and especially hydrogen atoms.
• A can denote a direct bond or -O-, -S-, -(O)S(O)-, -C(O)-, -P(O)(C ⁇ -C 20 alkyl)-, unsubstituted or substituted alkylidene, cydoalkylidene or alkylene.
• unsubstituted or substituted alkylidene examples include: ethylidene, 1,1- or 2,2-propylidene, 2,2-butylidene, 1,1-isobutylidene, pentylidene, hexylidene, heptylidene, octylidene, dichloro- ethylidene and trichloroethylidene.
• Examples of unsubstituted or substituted alkylene are methylene, ethylene, phenyl- methylene, diphenylmethylene and methylphenylmethylene.
• Examples of cydoalkylidene are cyclopentylidene, cyclohexylidene, cycloheptylidene and cyclooctylidene.
• bisphenols are: bis(p-hydroxyphenyl) ether or thioether, bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)- sulfone, bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)methane, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,2'-biphenyl, phenylhydro- quinone, 1 ,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, 1-phenyl-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)methane, diphenyl- bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)methane, diphenyl-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, bis(3,5-dimethyl-4- hydroxyphenyl)sulfone, bis(3,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-p-diisopropylbenzene, bis(3,5- dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-m-diisopropylbenzene, 2,2-bis(3' ) 5'-dimethyl-4'-hydroxyphenyl)
• Suitable polyesters of hydroxycarboxylic acids are, for example, polycaprolactone, polypivalolactone and the polyesters of 4-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-6- naphthalenecarboxylic acid or 4-hydroxybenzoic acid.
• polymers that may contain mainly ester bonds, but also other bonds, for example polyester amides and polyester imides, are also suitable.
• Oligomers/polymers are obtained which contain, as structural repeating unit, a group of
• a third group of very suitable oligomers/polymers comprises polyurethanes that are obtained by reacting diisocyanates with compounds of formula A1 and, optionally, further diols.
• Very suitable diisocyanates are 1,6-bis[isocyanato]hexane, 5-isocyanato-3-(isocyanato- methyl)-1 , 1 ,3-trimethylcydohexane, 1 ,3-bis[5-isocyanato-1 ,3,3-trimethyl-phenyl]-2,4-dioxo- 1 ,3-diazetidine, 3,6-bis[9-isocyanato-nonyl]-4,5-di(1-heptenyl)cyclohexene, bis[4-isocyanato- cyclohexyljmethane, trans-1 ,4-bis[isocyanato]cyclohexane, 1 ,3-bis[isocyanato
• diisocyanates are 1 ,6-bis[isocyanato]hexane, 5-isocyanato-3-(iso- cyanatomethyl)-1,1,3-trimethylcydohexane, 2,4-bis[isocyanato]toluene, 2,6-bis[isocyanato]- toluene, 2,4-/2,6-bis[isocyanato]toluene or bis[4-isocyanato-phenyl]methane.
• an additional organic radical initiator is added.
• free-radical initiators will be known to the person skilled in the art and are commercially available, for example:
• 2,2'-azo-bis(2-methyl-butyronitrile) AIBN, 2 l 2'-azo-bis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2 -azo- bis(4-methoxy-2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 1 ,1'-azo-bis(1-cyclohexanecarbonitrile), 2,2'-azo- bis(isobutyramide) dihydrate, 2-phenylazo-2,4-dimethyl-4-methoxyvaleronitrile, dimethyl-2,2'- azo-bisisobutyrate, 2-(carbamoylazo)isobutyronitrile, 2,2'-azo-bis(2,4,4-tri-methylpentane), 2,2'-azo-bis(2-methylpropane), 2,2'-azo-bis(N,N'-dimethylene-isobutyro-amidine) in the free base or hydrochloride form, 2,2'-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane)
• Acetylcyclohexane-sulfonyl peroxide, diisopropyl-peroxy-dicarbonate, tert-amyl perneo- decanoate, tert-butyl perneodecanoate, tert-butyl perpivalate, tert-amyl perpivalate, di(2,4- dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide, diisononanoyl peroxide, didecanoyl peroxide, dioctanoyl peroxide, dilauroyl peroxide, di(4-methyl-benzoyl) peroxide, disuccinic acid peroxide, diacetyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide BPO, tert-butyl per-2-ethyl hexanoate, di(4-chloro-benzoyl) peroxide, tert-butyl perisobutyrate, tert-
• organic peroxides selected from the group consisting of isobutyryl-peroxide, isopropylperoxy-dicarbonate, di-n-butylperoxy-dicarbonate, di-sec- butyl peroxy-d icarbo nate, d icyclo hexyl peroxy-d icarbonate, d i(2-ethyl hexyl )peroxy- dicarbonate, t-butyl-perneodecanoate, t-butyl-perpivalate, bis(3,5,5-trimethyl-hexanoyl)per- oxide, didecanoyl-peroxide, dilauroyl-peroxide, t-butyl-perisobutyrate, t-butyl-per2-ethyl- hexanoate, t-butyl-peracetate, t-butyl-per-3,5,5-trimethylhexanoate,
• a chain transfer agent is added.
• the chain transfer agent is, for example, selected from the group consisting of ketones, aldehydes, C 3 -C 20 alkanes, C 3 -C 0 alkenes, mercaptanes and disulfides.
• sulfur containing compounds are mercaptoethanol, dodecylmer- captane, dibenzylsufide, dibutylsulfide, octadecyldisulfide, distearylthiodipropionate (Irganox PS 802), dipalmityldithiodipropionate, dilaurylthiodipropionate (Irganox® PS 800).
• Chain transfer agents are known and for example described in "The Chemistry of Free Radical Polymerization", Ed. G. Moad, E. Rizzardo, Pergamon 1995, pages 234-251. They are largely items of commerce.
• the method is carried out in the presence of a comonomer, which is selected from a monomer containing a vinyl group, an allyl group, a vinylidene group, a diene group or a olefinic group other than ethylene.
• a comonomer which is selected from a monomer containing a vinyl group, an allyl group, a vinylidene group, a diene group or a olefinic group other than ethylene.
• vinyl group containing monomer is understood to mean in particular (meth)acrylates, vinylaromatic monomers, vinylesters, vinyl ethers, (meth)acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylamide, mono and di(C 3 -Ci 8 alkyl)(meth)acrylamides and monoesters and diesters of maleic acid.
• vinylaromatic monomer is understood to mean, for example, styrene, vinyltoluene, ⁇ -methylstyrene, 4-methoxystyrene, 2-(hydroxymethyl)styrene, 4-ethylstyrene, vinylanthracene.
• vinyl esters of vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl chloride and vinyl fluoride
• vinyl ethers of vinyl methyl ether and vinyl ethyl ether
• An example of a vinylidene monomer is vinylidene fluoride.
• diene group containing monomer is understood to mean a diene chosen from conjugated or nonconjugated , linear or cyclic dienes, such as, for example, butadiene, 2,3- dimethyl-butadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1 ,9-decadiene, 5-methylene-2-norbornene, 1,5 cyclooctadiene or 4,7,8,9-tetrahydroindene.
• olefinic monomers typically are, for example, propylene, 1-butene, 4- methyl-1 -pentene, octene or 1 -decene.
• Further comonomers may be maleic acid anhydride, umaric acid anhydride or itaconic acid anhydride and N -alky I or N-arylmaleimide.
• Particulary preferred comonomers are methylacrylate, ethylacrylate.n-butylacrylate, vinylacetate, styrene, a-methylstyrene and methylmethacrylate .
• the proportion of comonomers for the preparation of random copolymers of ethylene may be in general from 0 to 90% by weight, preferably from 0 to 50% by weight and in particular from O to 10% by weight.
• a further aspect of the invention is the use of a hydroxylamine ester containing a structural element of formula (I) or (I') as radical forming species for the continuous or batch wise polymerization or copolymerization of ethylene at an operating pressure of from 500 to 3500 bar, at a polymerization temperature between 100° and 400° C in a suitable high pressure reactor.
• the ethylene polymerization experiments are carried out in a continuously operating laboratory plant.
• the center piece is a small stirred tank autoclave with jacket heating and 15 mL capacity.
• the polymerizations can be carried out at pressures up to 3000 bar and temperatures up to 300° C.
• the ethylene is compressed by means of a multistage diaphragm compressor.
• the initiator is dissolved in dry hexane and passed into the reador through a metering device.
• Polymer samples can be separated from the reactor by a heated needle valve at the bottom of the autoclave.
• the formed polymer is separated from the unreacted ethylene by pressure release and the amount (conversion) is determined by gravimetry.
• the reaction parameters, mass flows and valves are computer controlled.
• PD molecular weight distributions
• the hydroxylamine ester used is compound 139, prepared according to WO 01/90113
• Table 1 readion conditions and analysis of LDPEs manufactured by high pressure polymerization of ethylene initiated by compound 139

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• 2005
  • 2005-03-14 CA CA2558370A patent/CA2558370C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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