METHOD FOR PRODUCING POLYPHENYLENE ETHER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing polyphenylene ether, which can shorten a reaction time required for obtaining polyphenylene ether having a predetermined reduced viscosity while sufficiently suppressing foaming in the first half (early stage) of oxidative polymerization.SOLUTION: The method for producing polyphenylene ether comprises: a first polymerization step of oxidatively polymerizing a phenolic compound by passing an oxygen-containing gas through a first polymerization solution prepared by adding the phenolic compound, a portion of an aromatic solvent, and a catalyst; a solvent addition step of adding the remainder of the aromatic solvent at a point of time when foaming during polymerization has subsided; and a second polymerization step of further oxidatively polymerizing the phenolic compound by passing the gas containing oxygen through the second polymerization solution, where an amount of the aromatic solvent additionally added is made less than the amount of the aromatic solvent initially added, and an amount of the oxygen-containing gas passed in the second polymerization solution is made less than the amount of the oxygen-containing gas passed through the first polymerization solution.SELECTED DRAWING: None 【課題】本発明は、酸化重合前半（初期）の発泡を十分に抑制しつつ、所定の還元粘度のポリフェニレンエーテルを得るための反応時間を短縮させることができるポリフェニレンエーテルの製造方法を提供することを目的とする。【解決手段】フェノール性化合物と芳香族溶媒のうちの一部と触媒とを添加して調製した第一重合溶液に、酸素含有ガスを通気して、フェノール性化合物を酸化重合させる、第一の重合工程と、重合時の発泡が治まった時点で、芳香族溶媒のうちの残りを添加する溶媒添加工程と、第二重合溶液に、酸素含有ガスを通気して、フェノール性化合物をさらに酸化重合させる、第二の重合工程とを有し、ここで、追加の芳香族溶媒の添加量を芳香族溶媒の添加量よりも少なくし、第二重合溶液における酸素含有ガスの通気量を第一重合溶液における酸素含有ガスの通気量よりも少なくすることを特徴とする、ポリフェニレンエーテルの製造方法。【選択図】なし