SYNTHESIS OF POLY(HYDROXYMETHYLENE-CO-ETHYLENE) BY HYDROGENATION OF THE ETHYLENE AND CARBON-MONOXIDE COPOLYMER OBTAINED BY RADICAL INITIATOR WITH RU ALPHA-ALUMINA AND OXYGEN GAS-PERMEABILITY/

A new polymer (polyalcohol) was synthesized by hydrogenation of an eth ylene carbon monoxide (GO) copolymer produced by a radical method with a catalyst and H-2. The Ru/alpha-alumina catalyst systems showed an e xcellent activity for hydrogenation of the radical copolymer of CH2=CH 2 and CO. Films prepared by melting and pressing the synthesized polya lcohol had a high gas barrier property and high tensile modulus. This new polymer has hydroxymethylenic units [-CH(OH)-] and ethylenic units [-CH2CH2-] in its molecular structure. The new functional polymer pol y(hydroxymethylene-co-ethylene), -[-CH(OH)-](n)[-CH2CH2-](m)-, is amor phous and has excellent and important properties as a high oxygen gas barrier film for wrapping and storage. This may be attributed to the n ew structure of poly(hydroxymethylene-co-ethylene) (PHME as an TUPAC n ame), or ethylene methine alcohol copolymer (EVOH as a generic name), compared to the other ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH as a gene ric name), -[CH2CH2-](m)-[-CH2CH(OH)-](n)-, which is used as one of th e highest gas barrier polymers. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.