Claims
- 1. A copolymer having the following empirical formula: ##STR8## where Y is one or more comonomers randomly distributed in the copolymer; the product of q and n averages at least 4; p is at least 1; and M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, ammonium, alkyl groups having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and alkanol ammonium groups having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
- 2. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein n averages between about 10 and about 200.
- 3. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein n averages between about 10 and about 100.
- 4. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein p is up to about 2.
- 5. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein q and p are each about 1.
- 6. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein p is 1 and q is at least about 5.
- 7. A copolymer of claim 1 wherein Y is an organic moiety containing at least one oxygen atom.
- 8. A copolymer of claim 7 wherein Y contains from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
- 9. A copolymer of claim 7 wherein Y contains from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms.
- 10. A copolymer of claim 7 wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of ##STR9## and mixtures thereof wherein R.sub.3 is hydrogen or an alkyl containing from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
- 11. A copolymer of claim 7 wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)O--; --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--; and mixtures thereof.
- 12. A copolymer of claim 11 wherein n averages between about 10 and about 100.
- 13. A copolymer having the following empirical formula: ##STR10## wherein Y is one or more comonomers randomly distributed in the copolymer; the product of q and n averages at least 4; p is at least 1; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are individually any chemically stable group which stabilize the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution; and M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, ammonium, alkyl groups having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and alkanol ammonium groups having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
- 14. A copolymer of claim 13 wherein n averages between about 10 and about 200.
- 15. A copolymer of claim 13 wherein n averages between about 10 and about 100.
- 16. A copolymer of claim 15 wherein p is up to about 2.
- 17. A copolymer of claim 15 wherein p and q are each about 1.
- 18. A copolymer of claim 15 wherein p is 1 and q is at least about 5.
- 19. A copolymer of claim 15 wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are individually selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkyl groups containing oxygen and cyclic alkyl groups containing oxygen.
- 20. A copolymer of claim 17 wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of ##STR11## --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--, --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)O--, and mixtures thereof, wherein R.sub.3 is hydrogen or an alkyl containing 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
- 21. A copolymer of claim 20 wherein R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --OCH.sub.3, --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, --OCHCH.sub.3 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, HO(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.1-4, ##STR12## and mixtures thereof.
- 22. A copolymer of claim 20 wherein R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of --CH.sub.3, --C.sub.2 H.sub.5, --CHCH.sub.3 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, ##STR13## and mixtures thereof, and R is hydrogen or alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
- 23. A copolymer of claim 22 wherein M is sodium and Y is --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--.
- 24. A method which comprises
- (a) bringing together under polymerization conditions an ester of glyoxylic acid aldehyde, at least one comonomer, and a polymerization initiator; and
- (b) stabilizing the resulting copolymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution.
- 25. A method of claim 24 wherein the comonomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy compounds, aldehydes, compounds containing substituent carboxylate groups, and mixtures thereof.
- 26. A method of claim 25 wherein the comonomer is an aldehyde.
- 27. A method of claim 25 wherein the comonomer is an epoxy compound.
- 28. A method of claim 24 wherein the polymerization initiator is selected from the group consisting of amines, strong Lewis acids, hydroxy ion and cyanide ion.
- 29. A method of claim 24 wherein the copolymer is stabilized against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution by adding to the copolymer termini a moiety selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkyl groups containing oxygen and cyclic alkyl groups containing oxygen.
- 30. A method of claim 29 wherein the copolymer is stabilized by adding to the polymer termini moieties selected from the group consisting of --OCH.sub.3, --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, --OCHCH.sub.3 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5, HO(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.1-4, ##STR14## and mixtures thereof, wherein M is alkali metal, ammonium, alkanol ammonium and alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain; and R is hydrogen or alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
- 31. A method of claim 29 wherein the stabilized copolymer ester is saponified to the corresponding copolymer selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol ammonium salts.
- 32. A method of claim 31 wherein the stabilized copolymer ester is saponified to the alkali metal salt.
- 33. A method of claim 31 wherein the stabilized copolymer ester is saponified to the sodium salt.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 904,067 filed May 8, 1978 and now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 826,424, filed Aug. 22, 1977 and now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
904067 |
May 1978 |
|
Parent |
826424 |
Aug 1977 |
|