Methyl polyesters

Bromine is used in the manufacture of many important organic compounds including 1,2-dibromoethane (ethylene dibromide), added to petrol to prevent lead deposition which occurs by decomposition of the anti-knock —lead tetraethyl bromomethane (methyl bromide), a fumigating agent, and several compounds used to reduce flammability of polyester plastics and epoxide resins. Silver(I) bromide is used extensively in the photographic industry... 

Uses. The a2obisnitriles have been used for bulk, solution, emulsion, and suspension polymeri2ation of all of the common vinyl monomers, including ethylene, styrene vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate. The polymeri2ations of unsaturated polyesters and copolymeri2ations of vinyl compounds also have been initiated by these compounds. 

Reactions of the Methyl Groups. These reactions include oxidation, polycondensation, and ammoxidation. PX can be oxidized to both terephthahc acid and dimethyl terephthalate, which ate then condensed with ethylene glycol to form polyesters. Oxidation of OX yields phthaUc anhydride, which is used in the production of esters. These ate used as plasticizers for synthetic polymers. MX is oxidized to isophthaUc acid, which is also converted to esters and eventually used in plasticizers and resins (see Phthalic acids and otherbenzenepolycarboxylic acids). 

Acrylics. Acetone is converted via the intermediate acetone cyanohydrin to the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA) [80-62-6]. The MMA is polymerized to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to make the familiar clear acryUc sheet. PMMA is also used in mol ding and extmsion powders. Hydrolysis of acetone cyanohydrin gives methacrylic acid (MAA), a monomer which goes direcdy into acryUc latexes, carboxylated styrene—butadiene polymers, or ethylene—MAA ionomers. As part of the methacrylic stmcture, acetone is found in the following major end use products acryUc sheet mol ding resins, impact modifiers and processing aids, acryUc film, ABS and polyester resin modifiers, surface coatings, acryUc lacquers, emulsion polymers, petroleum chemicals, and various copolymers (see METHACRYLIC ACID AND DERIVATIVES METHACRYLIC POLYMERS). 

Esters. Neopentyl glycol diesters are usually Hquids or low melting soflds. Polyesters of neopentyl glycol, and in particular unsaturated polyesters, are prepared by reaction with polybasic acids at atmospheric pressure. High molecular weight linear polyesters (qv) are prepared by the reaction of neopentyl glycol and the ester (usually the methyl ester) of a dibasic acid through transesterification (37—38). The reaction is usually performed at elevated temperatures, in vacuo, in the presence of a metallic catalyst. 

Direct oxidation yields biacetyl (2,3-butanedione), a flavorant, or methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, an initiator used in polyester production. Ma.nufa.cture. MEK is predominandy produced by the dehydrogenation of 2-butanol. The reaction mechanism (11—13) and reaction equihbtium (14) have been reported, and the process is in many ways analogous to the production of acetone (qv) from isopropyl alcohol. 

A review covers the preparation and properties of both MABS and MBS polymers (75). Literature is available on the grafting of methacrylates onto a wide variety of other substrates (76,77). Typical examples include the grafting of methyl methacrylate onto mbbers by a variety of methods chemical (78,79), photochemical (80), radiation (80,81), and mastication (82). Methyl methacrylate has been grafted onto such substrates as cellulose (83), poly(vinyl alcohol) (84), polyester fibers (85), polyethylene (86), poly(styrene) (87), poly(vinyl chloride) (88), and other alkyl methacrylates (89). 

Methyl- and dimethylnaphthalenes are contained in coke-oven tar and in certain petroleum fractions in significant amounts. A typical high temperature coke-oven coal tar, for example, contains ca 3 wt % of combined methyl- and dimethylnaphthalenes (6). In the United States, separation of individual isomers is seldom attempted instead a methylnaphtha1 ene-rich fraction is produced for commercial purposes. Such mixtures are used for solvents for pesticides, sulfur, and various aromatic compounds. They also can be used as low freezing, stable heat-transfer fluids. Mixtures that are rich in monomethyinaphthalene content have been used as dye carriers (qv) for color intensification in the dyeing of synthetic fibers, eg, polyester. They also are used as the feedstock to make naphthalene in dealkylation processes. PhthaUc anhydride also can be made from m ethyl n aph th al en e mixtures by an oxidation process that is similar to that used for naphthalene. 

Polymers. AH nitro alcohols are sources of formaldehyde for cross-linking in polymers of urea, melamine, phenols, resorcinol, etc (see Amino RESINS AND PLASTICS). Nitrodiols and 2-hydroxymethyl-2-nitro-l,3-propanediol can be used as polyols to form polyester or polyurethane products (see Polyesters Urethane polymers). 2-Methyl-2-nitro-l-propanol is used in tires to promote the adhesion of mbber to tire cord (qv). Nitro alcohols are used as hardening agents in photographic processes, and 2-hydroxymethyl-2-nitro-l,3-propanediol is a cross-linking agent for starch adhesives, polyamides, urea resins, or wool, and in tanning operations (17—25). Wrinkle-resistant fabric with reduced free formaldehyde content is obtained by treatment with... 

Commercially available MEKP formulations are mixtures of the dihydroperoxide (1), where X = OOH R = H, R = methyl, and R = ethyl (2,2-dihydroperoxybutane [2625-67 ]) and dialkyl peroxide (2), where X = OOH, Y = OOH, R = methyl, and R = ethyl (di(2-hydroperoxy-2-butyl) peroxide [126-76-1J). These formulations are widely used as free-radical initiators in the metal-promoted cure of unsaturated polyester resins at about 20°C. 

The reaction rate of fumarate polyester polymers with styrene is 20 times that of similar maleate polymers. Commercial phthaHc and isophthaHc resins usually have fumarate levels in excess of 95% and demonstrate full hardness and property development when catalyzed and cured. The addition polymerization reaction between the fumarate polyester polymer and styrene monomer is initiated by free-radical catalysts, commercially usually benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP), which can be dissociated by heat or redox metal activators into peroxy and hydroperoxy free radicals. 

Poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(vinyl acetate) precipitate from the resin solution as it cures. This mechanism offsets the contraction in volume as the polyester resin cross-links, resulting in a nonshrinking thermoset. Other polymer additives such as poly(butylene adipate) provide similar shrinkage... 

OC-Methylstyrene. This compound is not a styrenic monomer in the strict sense. The methyl substitution on the side chain, rather than the aromatic ring, moderates its reactivity in polymerization. It is used as a specialty monomer in ABS resins, coatings, polyester resins, and hot-melt adhesives. As a copolymer in ABS and polystyrene, it increases the heat-distortion resistance of the product. In coatings and resins, it moderates reaction rates and improves clarity. Physical properties of a-methylstyrene [98-83-9] are shown in Table 12. 

Sanitary ware, including tubs, showers, combined units, basins, and toilet tank, may be made of thermoformed ABS or acryHc sheet, molded glass-fiber-reinforced polyester, or cast acryHc resins. The glass-polyester type dominates the tub/shower market. It is possible to install the units as a two-component system, assembled in place. Gel coats may be of thermoformed decorative acryHc skins. To reduce the smoke generated by fire, methyl... 

Cobalt salts are used as activators for catalysts, fuel cells (qv), and batteries. Thermal decomposition of cobalt oxalate is used in the production of cobalt powder. Cobalt compounds have been used as selective absorbers for oxygen, in electrostatographic toners, as fluoridating agents, and in molecular sieves. Cobalt ethyUiexanoate and cobalt naphthenate are used as accelerators with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide for the room temperature cure of polyester resins. 

Polyesters. Unsaturated polyester resins based on DCPD, maleic anhydride, and glycols have been manufactured for many years. At least four ways of incorporating DCPD into these resins have been described (45). The resins are mixed with a cross-linking compound, usually styrene, and final polymerization is accompHshed via a free-radical initiator such as methyl ethyl ketone peroxide. 

Esterification. The formation of an ester from an acid (or its derivative) and an alcohol is of limited appHcation siace carboxyUc esters are comparatively rare substitueats ia dyes. Esters of A/-(3-hydroxyethylaniLiaes are important iatermediates for azo disperse dyes for polyester. Another example is methyl anthranilate, formed by the classical esterification of anthranilic acid usiag methanol and sulfuric acid. 

The catalytic hydrogenation of esters is of great commercial importance. It is one of the industrial methods used to produce long-chain fatty alcohols (eg, dodecyl and decyl alcohols) from fatty acid methyl esters (33). The method is also suitable for the conversion of dimethyl 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate [94-60-0] into 1,4-cydohexanedimethanol [105-08-8] an important intermediate in the manufacturing of polyesters. 

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