Poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymers and melt transesterification method of preparing these copolymers

1. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages,

wherein the urea and dihydroxy compounds are reacted in a molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) of less than or equal to 0.5.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the urea compound is a compound of the following structure (a1),

wherein the substituents R 1 and R 2 are independently each a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear alkyl group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the urea compound is a compound of structure (a2),

wherein the substituent R 3 is a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear aliphatic group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the urea compound is selected from the group consisting of ethylene urea, hydantoin, 2-benzimidazolinone, propylene urea, uracil, hydrouracil, benzoyleneurea, alloxan, N,N′-dicyclohexyl-urea, and barbituric acid.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the urea compound is ethylene urea, N,N′-dicyclohexyl-urea or propylene urea.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the diaryl carbonate reaction component comprises an activated diaryl carbonate compound.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the activated diaryl carbonate compound is selected from the group consisting of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-nitrophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-acetylphenyl)carbonate, bis(o-phenylketonephenyl)carbonate, bis(o-formylphenyl)carbonate, and bis(o-cyanophenyl)carbonate, bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(ethylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(propylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(butylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(benzylsalicyl)carbonate, and bis(methyl 4-chlorosalicyl)carbonate.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the diaryl carbonate is diphenyl carbonate or bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.33.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.25.

11. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea-co-ester) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound (e) a diacid reaction component comprising a diacid compound and/or a diester reaction component comprising a diester compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages,

wherein the urea, dihydroxy, diacid and diester compounds are reacted in a molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)+(total moles of diacid compound)+(total moles of diester compound)) of less than or equal to 0.5.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the diacid compound is selected from the group consisting of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, 1,7-cyclododecanedioic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, hexanedioic acid, octanedioic acid, decanedioic acid, dodecanedioic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, hexadecanedioic acid, octadecanedioic acid, cis 9-octenedioic acid, alpha-nonyldecanedioic acid, alpha-octylundecanedioic acid, and hydrogenated dimer acid.

13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the diester compound is a phenyl or methyl salicyl ester of terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, 1,7-cyclododecanedioic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, hexanedioic acid, octanedioic acid, decanedioic acid, dodecanedioic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, hexadecanedioic acid, octadecanedioic acid, cis 9-octenedioic acid, alpha-nonyldecanedioic acid, alpha-octylundecanedioic acid, or hydrogenated dimer acid.

14. The process of claim 11 , wherein the diacid compound is dodecanedioic acid.

15. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages,

wherein the urea compound is a compound of the following structure (a1),

wherein the substituents R 1 and R 2 are independently each a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear alkyl group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group,

wherein the urea and dihydroxy compounds are reacted in a molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) of less than or equal to 0.5.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the urea compound is selected from the group consisting of N,N′-diphenyl-urea, N,N′-bis(2-methylphenyl)-urea, N,N′-bis(3,4- dichlorophenyl)-urea, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-urea, N-(4- chlorophenyl)-N′-[4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-urea, N,N′-bis(4-methylphenyl)- urea, N,N″-(methylenedi-4,1-phenylene)bis[N′-phenyl]-urea, N,N′-di-1-naphthalenyl- urea, N,N′-di-6-quinolinyl-urea, N,N′-di-2-propenyl-urea, N,N′-bis(phenylmethyl)-urea, N,N′-dibutyl-urea, N,N′-dicyclohexyl-urea, N,N′-diethyl-urea, N,N′-bis(1-methylethyl)- urea, N,N′-dimethyl-urea, N,N′-dioctadecyl-urea, N,N′-dipropyl-urea, and N,N′-di-9H- xanthen-9-yl-urea.

17. The process of claim 15 , wherein the urea compound is N,N′- dicyclohexyl-urea.

18. The process of claim 15 , wherein the diaryl carbonate reaction component comprises an activated diaryl carbonate compound.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the activated diaryl carbonate compound is selected from the group consisting of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-nitrophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-acetylphenyl)carbonate, bis(o-phenylketonephenyl)carbonate, bis(o-formylphenyl)carbonate, bis(o-cyanophenyl)carbonate, bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(ethylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(propylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(butylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(benzylsalicyl)carbonate, and bis(methyl 4-chlorosalicyl)carbonate.

20. The process of claim 15 , wherein the diaryl carbonate is diphenyl carbonate or bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate.

21. The process of claim 15 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.33.

22. The process of claim 15 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.25.

23. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages,

wherein the urea compound is a compound of the following structure (a2),

wherein the substituent R 3 is a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear aliphatic group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group,

wherein the urea and dihydroxy compounds are reacted in a molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) of less than or equal to 0.5.

24. The process of claim 23 , wherein the urea compound is selected from the group consisting of ethylene urea, 2-benzimidazolinone, and propylene urea.

25. The process of claim 23 , wherein the diaryl carbonate reaction component comprises an activated diaryl carbonate compound.

26. The process of claim 25 , wherein the activated diaryl carbonate compound is selected from the group consisting of bis(o-chlorophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-nitrophenyl)carbonate, bis(o-acetylphenyl)carbonate, bis(o-phenylketonephenyl)carbonate, bis(o-formylphenyl)carbonate, and bis(o-cyanophenyl)carbonate, bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(ethylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(propylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(butylsalicyl)carbonate, bis(benzylsalicyl)carbonate, and bis(methyl 4-chlorosalicyl)carbonate.

27. The process of claim 23 , wherein the diaryl carbonate is diphenyl carbonate or bis(methylsalicyl)carbonate.

28. The process of claim 23 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.33.

29. The process of claim 23 , wherein the molar ratio: (total moles of urea compound)/((total moles of urea compound)+(total moles of dihydroxy compound)) is less than or equal to 0.25.

30. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linikages.

31. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound of the following structure (a1),

wherein the substituents R 1 and R 2 are independently each a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear alkyl group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group,

in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer.

32. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound of structure (a2),

wherein the substituent R 3 is a C 1 to C 12 branched or linear aliphatic group, a C 6 to C 18 aromatic group, or a C 7 to C 36 aralkyl group,

in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer.

33. A process to prepare a poly(carbonate-co-urea-co- ester) copolymer in as little as one single polymerization reaction comprising both carbonate —(O(C═O)O)— and urea —(N(C═O)N)— linkages comprising reacting in the melt: (a) a dihydroxy reaction component comprising a dihydroxy compound, (b) a diaryl carbonate reaction component comprising a diaryl carbonate, (c) a urea reaction component comprising a monomeric urea compound (e) a diacid reaction component comprising a diacid compound and/or a diester reaction component comprising a diester compound in the presence of (d) a transesterification catalyst during at least part of the reaction and removing a phenolic byproduct to produce a poly(carbonate-co-urea) copolymer.