High molecular weight poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and process therefor

1. A method of preparing a poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), comprising:

oxidatively polymerizing 2,6-dimethylphenol in toluene solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising copper ion and N,N′-di-tert-butylethylenediamine to form a reaction mixture comprising a dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), water, and the catalyst;

wherein the oxidative polymerizing comprises initiating oxidative polymerization in the presence of no more than 10 weight percent of the 2,6-dimethylphenol;

wherein at least 95 weight percent of the 2,6-dimethylphenol is added to the reaction mixture after the initiation of oxidative polymerization and over the course of at least 50 minutes;

wherein the oxidatively polymerizing comprises adding molecular oxygen and 2,6-dimethylphenol to the reaction mixture in a mole ratio of 0.3:1 to 0.65:1;

terminating the oxidative polymerization to form a post-termination reaction mixture;

combining a chelant comprising an alkali metal salt of nitrilotriacetic acid with the post-termination reaction mixture to form a chelation mixture comprising

an aqueous phase comprising chelated copper ion, and

an organic phase comprising the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether);

wherein the chelation mixture excludes dihydric phenols and aromatic amines;

maintaining the chelation mixture at a temperature of 40 to 55° C. for 5 to 100 minutes;

separating the aqueous phase and the organic phase; wherein the separation is conducted at a temperature of 40 to 55° C.; and

isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) from the separated organic phase;

wherein time elapsed between termination of the oxidative polymerization and isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is no more than 200 minutes; and

wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a number average molecular weight of at least 18,000 atomic mass units and less than 30 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 30,000 atomic mass units.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chelation mixture further excludes mild reducing agents selected from the group consisting of sulfur dioxide, sulfurous acid, sodium bisulfite, sodium thionite, tin (II) chloride, iron (II) sulfate, chromium (II) sulfate, titanium (III) chloride, hydroxylamines and salts thereof, phosphates, glucose, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidatively polymerizing 2,6-dimethylphenol comprises a first stage in which the reaction mixture is cooled to maintain a temperature of 10 to 35° C.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the oxidatively polymerizing 2,6-dimethylphenol comprises a second stage in which the reaction mixture is heated to maintain a temperature of 20 to 50° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the total weight of 2,6-dimethylphenol is 5 to 10 weight percent based on the total weight of 2,6-dimethylphenol and toluene solvent.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combining a chelant with the post-termination reaction mixture to form a chelation mixture comprises combining the post-termination reaction mixture with an aqueous solution of the chelant, adjusting the temperature of the resulting mixture to 40 to 55° C., and combining the resulting temperature-adjusted mixture with water to form the chelation mixture.

7. The method of claim 1 , excluding a solvent removal step between the terminating the oxidative polymerization and the isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) from the separated organic phase comprises mixing in a first stirred tank the separated organic phase and a first portion of antisolvent to produce a first poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) slurry; and mixing in a second stirred tank the first poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) slurry and a second portion of antisolvent to produce a second poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) slurry.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the separated organic phase comprises 6 to 10 weight percent poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first portion of antisolvent and the second portion of antisolvent each independently comprise 75 to 85 weight percent methanol and 15 to 25 weight percent toluene.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the weight ratio of the separated organic phase to the first portion of antisolvent is 1.5:1 to 2:1; and wherein the weight ratio of the first poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) slurry to the second portion of antisolvent is 0.9:1 to 1.2:1.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mixing in a first stirred tank and the mixing in a second stirred tank are each independently conducted at a temperature of 45 to 55° C.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mixing in a first stirred tank and the mixing in a second stirred tank are characterized by a total mixing energy of less than or equal to 4 kilojoules per kilogram.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000 atomic mass units.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a weight average molecular weight of 150,000 to 230,000 atomic mass units.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference in intrinsic viscosity less than or equal to 25 percent is observed between the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference in intrinsic viscosity of 10 to 25 percent is observed between the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference in intrinsic viscosity less than or equal to 0.30 deciliters per gram is observed between the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference in weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 30,000 atomic mass units of less than or equal to 25 weight percent is observed between the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein a difference in weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 30,000 atomic mass units of 10 to 25 weight percent is observed between the dissolved poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether).

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a copper concentration less than or equal to 5 parts per million by weight.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a copper concentration of 0.5 to 5 parts per million by weight.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst further comprises dimethyl-n-butylamine, di-n-butylamine, or a mixture thereof.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst further comprises dimethyl-n-butylamine and di-n-butylamine.

25. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the catalyst further comprises dimethyl-n-butylamine and di-n-butylamine;

wherein the oxidative polymerizing comprises initiating oxidative polymerization in the presence of 1 to 3 weight percent of the 2,6-dimethylphenol;

wherein at least 97 weight percent of the 2,6-dimethylphenol is added to the reaction mixture after the initiation of oxidative polymerization and over the course of 55 to 65 minutes;

wherein the oxidatively polymerizing comprises adding molecular oxygen and 2,6-dimethylphenol to the reaction mixture in a mole ratio of 0.3:1 to 0.5:1;

wherein the oxidatively polymerizing 2,6-dimethylphenol comprises a first stage in which the reaction mixture is cooled to maintain a temperature of 20 to 30° C., and a second stage in which the reaction mixture is heated to maintain a temperature of 30 to 40° C.;

wherein the method excludes a solvent removal step between the terminating the oxidative polymerization and the isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether);

wherein the chelation mixture is maintained at a temperature of 45 to 55° C. for 40 to 70 minutes;

wherein the separating the aqueous phase and the organic phase is conducted at a temperature of 45 to 55° C.;

wherein time elapsed between termination of the oxidative polymerization and isolating the poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is 30 to 60 minutes;

wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a number average molecular weight of 20,000 to 35,000 atomic mass units and 16 to 20 weight percent of molecules having a molecular weight less than 30,000 atomic mass units; and

wherein the isolated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) has a copper concentration of 0.5 to 5 parts per million by weight.