Abstract: A process for recovering N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone from an effluent stream in a poly(arylene sulfide) process containing N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone contaminated with acidic compounds and high boiling contaminants by contacting the kettle liquid from a heavies fractionation zone with an inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth oxides and alkaline earth hydroxides in an amount effective to reduce the acidic compound content of the kettle liquid, and introducing the treated kettle liquid into a thin film evaporation zone to produce an overhead product containing N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and a bottoms stream containing N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone soluble reaction products of the acidic compounds with the inorganic compound, unreacted acidic compounds and high boiling contaminants.

Abstract: Arylene sulfide polymers which can be linear, branched or modified are prepared by a process which comprises the steps of: (a) admixing a sulfur source and a cyclic organic amide in the presence of water to form an aqueous admixture wherein the molar ratio of the sulfur source to the cyclic organic amide is at least about 0.6:1 to about 1:1; (b) dehydrating said aqueous admixture to form a dehydrated admixture; (c) admixing with said dehydrated admixture at least one polymerizable halo-substituted aromatic compound to form a polymerization mixture; (d) subjecting the polymerization mixture to polymerization conditions effective to produce the arylene sulfide polymer; and (3) recovering the arylene sulfide polymer.

Abstract: Arylene sulfide polymer having a high extrusion rate, e.g. at least about 100 g/10 min. are prepared by a process comprising: (a) dehydrating an aqueous admixture of a suitable sulfur source and a cyclic organic amide; (b) admixing a dihalo-substituted aromatic compound with the dehydrate mixture to form a polymerization mixture wherein the molar ratio of sulfur source to the cyclic organic amide is about 0.39:1 to about 0.6:1; (c) subjecting the polymerization mixture to reaction conditions sufficient to produce the arylene sulfide polymer; and (d) recovering the arylene sulfide polymer.