Abstract: A peroxide-free curing system comprising 20-89.5% by weight of a compound having at least one epoxide group, 0.5-30% by weight of a polyamine, and 10-50% by weight of a co-curing agent is presented. The co-curing agent has formula (I): and/or its tautomeric formulae IIa and/or IIb: and/or formula (III): or a tautomer and/or an oligomer thereof; wherein D stands for branched (CR1R2)n or wherein p is independently 0 or 1, and X is CH2, O, or SO2 and stands for a meta- or para-benzene group; R is independently H or C1-C4 alkyl; R1 and R2 are independently H or (CH2)mCH3; wherein at least one group R2 is (CH2)mCH3 and m being 0 to 2; n being 1 to 10; and n+m is 4 to 14; R?—CH2 is R; and P stands for phenyl, or unsubstituted or hydroxy-substituted C1-6 alkyl or C2-6 alkenyl; with the proviso that at least one of R is C1-4 alkyl.

Abstract: A peroxide-free curing system comprising 20-89.5% by weight of a compound having at least one epoxide group, 0.5-30% by weight of a polyamine, and 10-50% by weight of a co-curing agent is presented. The co-curing agent has formula (I): and/or its tautomeric formulae IIa and/or IIb: and/or formula (III): or a tautomer and/or an oligomer thereof; wherein D stands for branched (CR1R2)n or wherein p is independently 0 or 1, and X is CH2, O, or SO2 and stands for a meta- or para-benzene group; R is independently H or C1-C4 alkyl; R1 and R2 are independently H or (CH2)mCH3; wherein at least one group R2 is (CH2)mCH3 and m being 0 to 2; n being 1 to 10; and n+m is 4 to 14; R?—CH2 is R; and P stands for phenyl, or unsubstituted or hydroxy-substituted C1-6 alkyl or C2-6 alkenyl; with the proviso that at least one of R is C1-4 alkyl.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a (co)polymer containing at least one unit derived from a citraconimide by curing curable composition comprising at least one substituted or unsubstituted citraconimide and a sufficient amount of an anionic curing catalyst to convert at least 10% of the citraconic alkyl groups on the citraconimide units to alkylene bridges; at a temperature above the melting point of the citraconimide unit and the product of that curing process, are disclosed. The invention also relates to the cured oligomers and articles of manufacture embodying them. These novel, cured oligomers are thermoplastic and offer several advantageous properties.

Abstract: Curable bisimide compositions containing at least one biscitraconimide having general formula (I), wherein D is a divalent group, R is CH.sub.2 --R.sub.1, and R.sub.1 is independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl groups having 1-18 carbon atoms; at least one olefinically unsaturated material, and 0-15 mole percent, based on biscitraconimide of formula (I), of a cocurable material selected from the group consisting of bismaleimides, citraconic maleimides and itaconic maleimides, wherein the mole ratio of biscitraconimide of formula (I), to olefinically unsaturated materials is from 0.12 to 4.0; are disclosed. Also disclosed are copolymeric compositions of biscitraconimides and olefinically unsaturated materials, processes for making these copolymers and articles of manufacture embodying these copolymers. These copolymers exhibit improved thermostability, high glass transition temperature, are solvent resistant and are void-free.