Method for making water-dispersible and water-dispersed polymers

1. A method for making a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer, comprising the steps of:

a) reacting (i) an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups, or (ii) an unsaturated or saturated oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer, oligomer or polymer; and

b1) when step a) provides a water-dispersible or water-dispersed monomer or oligomer, reacting such monomer or oligomer with one or more monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer; and

b2) when step a) provides a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer, optionally using such polymer to support emulsion polymerization of one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed further polymer

wherein step a), step b1) or step b2) provides a latex polymer formed using a polymeric surfactant, and the unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups and one or more other unsaturated monomers are emulsion polymerized in the presence of the polymeric surfactant.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises reacting an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups with a tertiary amine.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises reacting an oligomer or polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups with a tertiary amine.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises reacting an unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups and a prepolymer with one or more unsaturated monomers in the presence of an initiator to provide an addition polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups, and reacting such addition polymer with a tertiary amine to provide a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises reacting an unsaturated monomer with a tertiary amine, and such monomer has the formula Ia:

wherein:

each R 1 is independently selected from hydrogen or an organic group;

R 2 is selected from hydrogen or an alkyl group;

n is 0 or 1;

W, if present, is a linking group;

 represents a methylene group or groups which independently may be substituted or unsubstituted; and

q is 1 or more.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein such monomer is glycerol carbonate methacrylate.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises reacting a polymer containing a plurality of cyclic carbonate groups with a tertiary amine in the presence of an acid, or with an acid in the presence of a tertiary amine, or in the presence of an acid and a tertiary amine, and such polymer has the formula Ib:

wherein:

P is a polymer backbone;

m is 2 or more;

n is 0 or 1;

W, if present, is a linking group;

 represents a methylene group or groups which independently may be substituted or unsubstituted; and

q is 1 or more.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the tertiary amine comprises trimethyl amine, dimethylethanol amine, methyldiethanol amine, triethanol amine, ethyl methyl ethanol amine, dimethyl ethyl amine, dimethyl propyl amine, N,N-dimethyl 3-hydroxy-1-propyl amine, dimethylbenzyl amine, N,N-dimethyl 2-hydroxy-1-propyl amine, diethyl methyl amine, N,N-dimethyl 1-hydroxy-2-propyl amine, triethyl amine, tributyl amine, N-methyl morpholine, or mixture thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the acid comprises an acid-functional polymer.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer in step b1) or b2) has the formula IIIb:

P—[C(O)OCH 2 CH(OH)(CH 2 ) q N + (R 3 ) 3 ] m m A −

wherein:

P is a polymer backbone;

m is 2 or more;

q is 1 or more;

each R 3 is independently selected from carbon-containing groups —CR 4 R 5 R 6 where each of R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is hydrogen or an organic group; and

A − is the anion of a deprotonated acid HA.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein step a), step b1) or step b2) provides a polyether polymer.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acid in step a) comprises a polymeric surfactant comprising an acid- or anhydride-functional organic solution polymerized acrylic polymer.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the latex polymer is formed using a non-polymeric surfactant, and the unsaturated monomer containing one or more cyclic carbonate groups and one or more other unsaturated monomers are emulsion polymerized in the presence of the non-polymeric surfactant.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer is made from 1 to 10 wt. % cyclic carbonate monomer, based on the weight of other monomers used to form the polymer.

15. A food or beverage container coating composition comprising a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer made according to the method of claim 1 .

16. The coating composition of claim 15 , wherein the composition is an inside spray food or beverage can coating composition.

17. A method of applying a coating composition, comprising applying the coating composition of claim 15 to a metal substrate prior to or after forming the metal substrate into a food or beverage can, or a portion thereof.

18. A food or beverage container or portion thereof having an interior surface coated with a coating composition comprising a water-dispersible or water-dispersed polymer made according to the method of claim 1 .