GB878926A - Improvements in and relating to polymers - Google Patents

Abstract

A composition comprises the reaction product of a polymer containing a major proportion of anhydride units of the structure: <FORM:0878926/IV (a)/1> where R1 is hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine or bromine while R is R1 or a cyano group, an alkyl group having from 1-10 carbon atoms, an aryl group, an alkaryl group or an aralkyl group with (1) at least 20 mole per cent based on the anhydride groups of an amine of formula: <FORM:0878926/IV (a)/2> where X and Y are hydrogen or a hydrocarbon having from 1-20 carbon atoms, the product containing amide groups so interspersed on the main polymer chain that not more than one acyl group of each anhydride group on the parent anhydride polymer is converted to an amide linkage or (2) at least 20 mole per cent of an alcohol of formula X-OH where X is a hydrocarbon group of 1-20 carbon atoms or a tertiary amino hydrocarbon group having from 4-20 carbon atoms, the product containing ester groups so interspersed on the main polymer chain that not more than two adjacent carboxyl groups are converted to ester linkages, or a combination of (1) and (2). The polymer may be prepared by reacting the main anhydride polymer with an alcohol phenol, amine or ammonia at up to 100 DEG C. in an inert organic liquid, e.g. benzene, a halogenated hydrocarbon, dimethylformamide or a dimethyl-sulphoxide. The preferred anhydrides are those from acrylic and methacrylic acids or their alpha-substituted derivatives. The anhydride may be reacted with more than one of the above compounds, e.g. first with an alcohol to convert a portion of the anhydride groups to esters and then with an amine. Specified alcohols include methanol, secoctanols, phenol, hydroquinone, alpha and betanaphthols, ethylene glycol, erythritols, starch, cellulose, dimethylaminoethanol, 3-nitroprcpanol, while amines include methyl amine, aniline, mesitylene, n-methylaniline, and tolylene diamines. Specification 849,669 is referred to.