Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing dithioesters in which a dithiocarboxylic acid and/or a dithiocarboxylic salt is reacted with a vinyl compound and/or an alkyl compound which includes a leaving group, the reaction being carried out in a biphasic system in which one of the phases comprises water and the weight ratio of the aqueous phase to the organic phase lies in the range from 95:5 to 5:95.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing dithioesters in which a dithiocarboxylic acid and/or a dithiocarboxylic salt is reacted with a vinyl compound and/or an alkyl compound which includes a leaving group, the reaction being carried out in a biphasic system in which one of the phases comprises water and the weight ratio of the aqueous phase to the organic phase lies in the range from 95:5 to 5:95.

Abstract: Polymer compositions with reduced living halogen content are used as additive to lubricating oils and are prepared by polymerizing at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer using a) at least one initiator containing a transferable halogen and b) one or more metal catalysts containing at least one transition metal, in the presence of ligands which can form a coordination compound with the one or more metal catalysts, to obtain a polymer composition having a living halogen content, and after the polymerizing, reacting the polymer composition having a living halogen content with at least one organic nitrogen compound in the presence of a nonpolar solvent, thereby reducing the living halogen content to obtain the polymer composition having a reduced halogen content.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for synthesis of polymer compositions, wherein ethylenically unsaturated monomers are polymerized by means of initiators containing a transferable atom or group of atoms and of one or more catalysts comprising at least one transition metal in the presence of ligands which can form a coordination compound with the metal catalyst or catalysts, the process being characterized in that the polymerization takes place by means of continuous process operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for synthesis of polymer compositions with reduced living halogen content, wherein ethylenically unsaturated monomers are polymerized by means of initiators containing a transferable halogen and of one or more catalysts comprising at least one transition metal in the presence of ligands which can form a coordination compound with the metal catalyst or catalysts and, after the polymerization, the living halogen atoms present in the polymer are at least partly eliminated, wherein after the polymerization the polymer composition is reacted with at least one organic nitrogen compound in the presence of a nonpolar solvent.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for preparation of poly(meth)acrylate composition, in which ethylenically unsaturated monomers are polymerized by means of initiators that have a transferable atomic group, and one or more catalysts that include at least one transition metal, in the presence of ligands that can form a coordination compound with the metallic catalyst(s) to form polymers, where ethylenically unsaturated monomers that contain 50-100 wt %, with respect to the total weight of the ethylenically unsaturated monomers, (meth)acrylates of formula (I) where R means hydrogen or methyl, R1 means a linear or branched alkyl residue with 6-40 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 independently mean hydrogen or a group of the formula—COOR′, where R′ is hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl residue with 6-40 carbon atoms, is polymerized in the presence of 5-95 wt % mineral oil, with respect to the total weight of the composition.

Abstract: This invention concerns gradient copolymers, that are obtainable by polymerizing a mixture of olefinically unsaturated monomers that consist of a) 0 to 40% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated ester compounds of formula (I) where R is hydrogen or methyl, R1 means a linear or branched alkyl residue with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen or a group of the formula —COOR′, where R′ means hydrogen or an alkyl group with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, b) 10 to 98% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated ester compounds of formula (II) where R is hydrogen or methyl, R4 means a linear or branched alkyl residue with 6 to 15 carbon atoms, R5 and R6 independently are hydrogen or a group of the formula —COOR″, where R″ means hydrogen or an alkyl group with 6 to 15 carbon atoms, c) 0 to 80% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated ester compounds of formula (III) where R is hy

Abstract: A process for the preparation of continuously variable-composition copolymers by effecting gradual changes in monomer composition during the polymerization is disclosed. Poly(meth)acrylate copolymers made by the process of the present invention have improved lubricating oil additive properties, for example, as pour point depressants, when compared to related polymer additives made by conventional means.