Process for the removal of the catalyst from polyphenylene ethers

摘要

The invention relates to a process for the removal of the catalyst in the preparation of high-molecular-weight polyphenylene ethers from monohydric phenols by oxidative coupling reaction with oxygen at temperatures between 15 and 50 DEG C in the presence of a catalyst complex comprising a metal salt and an organic amine in the presence of a solvent, and removal of the metal ion component of the catalyst from the polyphenylene ether solution by means of complexing or chelate complexing compounds in aqueous medium, the complexing and removal of the metal ion component of the catalyst being carried out in the presence of from 0.1 to 5000 mg/kg of high-molecular-weight, at least partially water-soluble polymers of (meth)acrylic acid and/or of (meth)acrylamide.