United States Patent Office Patiented Jan
3,299,012 United States Patent Office Patiented Jan. 17, 1967 2 methacrylates, vinyl chloride, vinylidine chloride, vinyli 3,299,92 dine fluoride, vinyl acetate, ethylene, propylene, isobutyl PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF ene, O-methylstyrene, and styrene. POLYLACTONES Rciand 5. Kern, Bridgeton, Mo., assignor to Monsanto According to the instant invention, a rearrangement re Conapany, a corporation of Delaware action, catalyzed by a Lewis acid, is used to prepare No Drawing. Filled Dec. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 331,096 polymeric substances characterized by lactone links and 12 Claims. (C. 269-78.5) also carboxylic acid groups or carboxylic acid ester groups along the polymer chain. This invention relates to a process for the preparation It will be understood that various vinyl ethers, as de of polylactones, and to ester derivatives of polylactones. 10 scribed above, can be used to prepare the polymeric re This invention particularly relates to lactones derived actant, however for convenience the invention is de from alternating copolymers of certain vinyl ethers and Scribed with reference to the tert-butyl vinyl ether co unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydrides. polymer. The process can be practiced when the group It is an object of this invention to provide a novel attached to the vinyl group through an ether link is one process for preparing polylactones. 5 known to form a stable carbonium ion. It is another object of this invention to provide a simple The rearrangement of the vinyl ether/olefinic carboxylic direct method for converting vinyl ether/unsaturated car anhydride copolymers is conducted in the presence of any boxylic acid anhydride copolymers to polymers charac of the materials known as acids within the concept of terized by lactone rings along the polymer chains, and Dr.
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