Process for producing polyphenylene ether

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A process for producing a polyphenylene ether is disclosed, comprising oxidatively polymerizing a phenol in an organic solvent in the presence of a catalyst for oxidative polymerization, finely dispersing the resulting polyphenylene ether containing the organic solvent in an aqueous dispersion medium containing an acid compound and, heating the aqueous dispersion to remove the solvent from the polyphenylene ether. The resulting polyphenylene ether has excellent powder properties and contains a reduced amount of a catalyst residue.