A method of carrying out a metathesis reaction includes the combination of at least one alkene or non conjugated diene with a Ruthenium-based catalyst with an cyclic(alkyl)(amino)carbene ligand to form a reaction mixture and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of 100 C. or greater. The reaction can be an ADMET, ROMP, a metathesis ring-closure or an olefin exchange reaction.

A method of carrying out a metathesis reaction includes the combination of at least one alkene or non conjugated diene with a Ruthenium-based catalyst with an cyclic(alkyl)(amino)carbene ligand to form a reaction mixture and heating the reaction mixture to a temperature of 100 C. or greater. The reaction can be an ADMET, ROMP, a metathesis ring-closure or an olefin exchange reaction.

A thermoplastic aromatic polysulfone is obtained by polymerizing a dihalogeno compound (A) and a dihydric phenol (B). The ratio (Mw/Mn) between a number average molecular weight (Mn) and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) is at least 1.91, and the number average molecular weight (Mn) is at least 6,000 and less than 14,000, ##STR00001##
In (A) and (B), each of X and X independently represents a halogen atom; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; each of n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 and n.sub.4 independently represents an integer of 0 to 4; and when n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 or n.sub.4 is an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 groups may be the same or different from each other.

A thermoplastic aromatic polysulfone is obtained by polymerizing a dihalogeno compound (A) and a dihydric phenol (B). The ratio (Mw/Mn) between a number average molecular weight (Mn) and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) is at least 1.91, and the number average molecular weight (Mn) is at least 6,000 and less than 14,000, ##STR00001##
In (A) and (B), each of X and X independently represents a halogen atom; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; each of n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 and n.sub.4 independently represents an integer of 0 to 4; and when n.sub.1, n.sub.2, n.sub.3 or n.sub.4 is an integer of 2 to 4, a plurality of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 groups may be the same or different from each other.

The invention provides an aromatic polysulfone including an aromatic polysulfone having at least one highly polar functional group at its terminus, wherein in the aromatic polysulfone, an area of a signal attributed to the aromatic polysulfone having a highly polar functional group with respect to a total area of all signals attributed to the aromatic polysulfone in a chromatogram obtained by measurement through a gel permeation chromatography method under the following conditions is 0.1% or more and 11% or less, wherein the sample injection volume is 5 L, column is Shodex KF-803 manufactured by Showa Denko K.K., column temperature is 40 C., eluent is N,N-dimethylformamide, eluent flow rate is 0.5 mL/min, detector is ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV), and detection wavelength is 277 nm.

The invention provides an aromatic polysulfone including an aromatic polysulfone having at least one highly polar functional group at its terminus, wherein in the aromatic polysulfone, an area of a signal attributed to the aromatic polysulfone having a highly polar functional group with respect to a total area of all signals attributed to the aromatic polysulfone in a chromatogram obtained by measurement through a gel permeation chromatography method under the following conditions is 0.1% or more and 11% or less, wherein the sample injection volume is 5 L, column is Shodex KF-803 manufactured by Showa Denko K.K., column temperature is 40 C., eluent is N,N-dimethylformamide, eluent flow rate is 0.5 mL/min, detector is ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV), and detection wavelength is 277 nm.

The invention provides an aromatic polysulfone including an aromatic polysulfone having at least one highly polar functional group at its terminus, wherein in the aromatic polysulfone, an area of a signal attributed to the aromatic polysulfone having a highly polar functional group with respect to a total area of all signals attributed to the aromatic polysulfone in a chromatogram obtained by measurement through a gel permeation chromatography method under the following conditions is 19% or more and 100% or less, wherein sample injection volume is 5 L, column is Shodex KF-803 manufactured by Showa Denko K.K., column temperature is 40 C., eluent is N,N-dimethylformamide, eluent flow rate is 0.5 mL/min, and detector is ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV).

The invention provides an aromatic polysulfone including an aromatic polysulfone having at least one highly polar functional group at its terminus, wherein in the aromatic polysulfone, an area of a signal attributed to the aromatic polysulfone having a highly polar functional group with respect to a total area of all signals attributed to the aromatic polysulfone in a chromatogram obtained by measurement through a gel permeation chromatography method under the following conditions is 19% or more and 100% or less, wherein sample injection volume is 5 L, column is Shodex KF-803 manufactured by Showa Denko K.K., column temperature is 40 C., eluent is N,N-dimethylformamide, eluent flow rate is 0.5 mL/min, and detector is ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV).

A polysulfone has sulfone units that are separated by alkylene units in a polymer chain or a copolymer chain where the alkylene units have at least four carbons between sulfone units. The alkylene units can include an ethenylene unit separated from the sulfone units by at least one methylene units. The polysulfones can be crosslinked for enhanced thermal stability. Membranes can be formed from the polysulfones.

A polysulfone has sulfone units that are separated by alkylene units in a polymer chain or a copolymer chain where the alkylene units have at least four carbons between sulfone units. The alkylene units can include an ethenylene unit separated from the sulfone units by at least one methylene units. The polysulfones can be crosslinked for enhanced thermal stability. Membranes can be formed from the polysulfones.