Process for preparing polyketones.

摘要

There is disclosed a process for preparing polyketones comprising, in a first step contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide and one or more olefins in the presence of a suitable catalyst to give a polyketone prepolymer in a particulate form which incorporates said catalyst, isolating the polyketone prepolymer under conditions such that the catalyst remains substantially chemically bound to the polyketone prepolymer, and in a second step contacting carbon monoxide with one or more olefins in the presence of the polyketone prepolymer. The preferred catalyst is a palladium catalyst. Isolation of the prepolymer is preferably carried out at a temperature at least 10 DEG C below the polymerisation temperature. Use of a prepolymer results in reduced reactor fouling.