| abstract |
Carboxylic acid ester functionalised derivatives of polymeric compounds containing residual carbon-carbon double bonds, for example polyisobutylenes and ethylene-based copolymers and terpolymers, are produced by reacting the polymeric compound with carbon monoxide and an alcohol in the presence of a protonic acid and as catalyst (a) at least one of the metals palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and cobalt in elemental or compound form and (b) a copper compound. In a modification of the invention carboxylic acid derivatives are produced by replacing the alcohol reactant with less than 8 mole equivalents, based on the polymeric compound, of water. |