Stabilized polyphenylene ether resin and process for the preparation of the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a stabilized polyphenylene ether resin which comprises a plurality of polyphenylene ether chains, which chains collectively contain terminal 6-chroman groups in an amount of at least 0.01 in terms of the number of the terminal 6-chroman groups per 100 polyphenylene ether units in the resin. This polyphenylene ether resin has excellent resistance to thermal oxidation. A composition comprising this stabilized polyphenylene ether resin and a polystyrene resin has not only high resistance to thermal oxidation but also excellent moldability.

Claims

2. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, wherein the number of said terminal 6-chroman groups (a) is at least 0.15 on the average per 100 phenylene ether units.

3. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 2, wherein the number of said terminal 6-chroman groups is at least 0.2 on the average per 100 phenylene ether units.

4. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, wherein each of two or three substitutents of substituents R.sup.6 through R.sup.9 is a hydrogen atom.

7. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, wherein 90 to 100% of the phenylene ether units are phenylene ether units represented by the following formula: ##STR26## wherein R.sup.1 represents a methyl group and R.sup.2 through R.sup.5 each represent a hydrogen atom.

9. A resin composition comprising 1 to 99% by weight of a polyphenylene ether resin of claim 1 and 1 to 99% by weight of a polystyrene resin.

10. A polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, which is a film.

11. A resin composition according to claim 9, which is a film..Iadd.

12. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein said carboxylic acid ester group defined for R.sup.6 through R.sup.9 is selected from the group consisting of methyl carboxylate, ethyl carboxylate, propyl carboxylate, n-butyl carboxylate, isobutyl carboxylate, tert-butyl carboxylate, 2-ethylhexyl carboxylate, octyl carboxylate, isodecyl carboxylate, lauryl carboxylate, lauryltridecyl carboxylate, tridecyl carboxylate, cetylstearyl carboxylate, stearyl carboxylate, cyclohexyl carboxylate and benzyl carboxylate groups..Iaddend..Iadd.13. The polyphenylene ether resin according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein said carboxylic acid ester group defined for R.sup.6 through R.sup.9 is a stearyl carboxylate group..Iaddend..Iadd.14. The process according to claim 8, wherein said carboxylic acid ester group defined for R.sup.6 through R.sup.9 is selected from the group consisting of methyl carboxylate, ethyl carboxylate, propyl carboxylate, n-butyl carboxylate, isobutyl carboxylate, tert-butyl carboxylate, 2-ethylhexyl carboxylate, octyl carboxylate, isodecyl carboxylate, lauryl carboxylate, lauryltridecyl carboxylate, tridecyl carboxylate, cetylstearyl carboxylate, stearyl carboxylate, cyclohexyl carboxylate and benzyl carboxylate groups..Iaddend..Iadd.15. The process according to claim 8, wherein said carboxylic acid ester group defined for R.sup.6 through R.sup.9 is a stearyl carboxylate group..Iaddend.