DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Interpretation Independent claim 1 recites a process for recovery and recycling “in a single-step process for the production” of a precursor. The present application (Spec. p. 2, ll. 11 to p. 3, l. 16) includes a discussion of “continuous” or “one-step” process es (p. 2, ll. 11- 12) and of “single-step proc esses” (p. 3, l. 4). Because the discussion of “continuous”, “one-step”, and “single-step” processes occur together, the terms have been construed as being interchangeable. The “single-step processes” that is recited in claim 1 has been interpreted to mean that polymerization takes place in a solvent and the solution thus obtained is directly used in spinning without the intermediate isolation of the polymer ( Spec. p. 2, ll. 1 2 -1 4 ) Independent claim 1 recites “co-polymers mainly consisting of” certain monomers in step (a). T he qualifier “mainly” has been construed to mean that the co-polymers may include further monomeric units as long as the recited monomers ( acrylonitrile, vinyl molecules bearing one or more acid groups, and neutral vinyl molecules ) make up a majority of the repeating units of the polymer. Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. § 112(b): (b ) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim s 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Independent claim 1 recites a step (a) of discharging a reaction mixture from a polymerization reactor. The claim subsequently recites a temperature “to slow down or stop the polymerization reaction” (emphasis added). The claim does not previously recite a polymerization reaction, and therefore the noted reference to “ the polymerization reaction” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 2 recites “an ammonium salt solution of an acid comonomer… in water”. Claim 2 subsequently recites weight percentages with respect to “ the aqueous solution” (emphasis added). Base claim 1 recites mixtures of acrylonitrile and water in steps (a), (c), and (d). The reference in claim 2 to “ the aqueous solution” lacks proper antecedent basis, and it does not set forth with reasonable clarity which composition including water is being referred to. Claim 2 recites a step ii) of feeding “acrylonitrile or a mixture of acrylonitrile and a neutral vinyl monomer”, and the claim subsequently recites “ the acrylonitrile or acrylonitrile/neutral vinyl comonomer being present in a weight ratio ranging from 95:5 to 99:1 ”. When the feeding step includes acrylonitrile but not the mixture of acrylonitrile and a neutral vinyl monomer, the step includes only a single recited component being fed, and thus the recited weight ratio does not set forth with reasonable clarity what two components the quantities refer to. Claim 2 recites a step iii) of “keeping the mixture from step ii)” at a certain temperature. The claim recites in step ii) “feeding acrylonitrile or a mixture of acrylonitrile and a neutral vinyl monomer”. The claim thus recites a step (step iii)) that requires a mixture as well as a step (step ii)) for which such a mixture is optional. The claim does not set forth with reasonable clarity whether or not the feeding step of step ii) requires a mixture. Claim 10 recites a similar limitation regarding “the mixture” Claim 2 recites a step vii) of collecting “a polymer solution”, and the claim subsequently recites features of “said solution” and “the solution”. The claim previously recites “an ammonium salt solution” and “ the aqueous solution”. The references to “said solution” and “the solution” do not set forth with reasonable clarity which solution is being referred to. Claim 4 recites that “copolymers are obtained”, and the claim subsequently recites amounts of monomers based upon “the polymer”. The former limitation refers to copolymers (plural), and the latter limitation refers to a polymer (singular). The claim does not set forth with reasonable clarity whether it requires a copolymer or else a polymer that is generic to the number of monomer components, and the claim does not set forth with reasonable clarity whether it requires one polymer or else multiple polymers. Claim 5 recites c-monomers including “optionally neutral vinyl molecules”. The claim does not set forth with reasonable clarity whether the adverb optionally modifies the term “neutral” or else the term “vinyl molecules” – that is, whether the presence of a neutral vinyl molecule is optional, or else a vinyl molecule is present but it is optionally neutral. Claim 6 recites “an average numerical molecular weight”. The phrase “numerical molecular weight” is a nonstandard term that is not defined in the specification or claims. The claim does not set forth the meaning of a numerical molecular weight with reasonable clarity. Claims 2-15 are ultimately dependent upon claims 1 or 2, and they are indefinite for the reasons given above for their respective base claims. Drawings, Specification The drawing submitted on Aug. 22, 2023 is objected to because it contains a single figure abbreviated as “FIG. 1”. 37 C.F.R. § 1.84(u)(1) requires that where only a single view is used in an application to illustrate the claimed invention, it must not be numbered and the abbreviation "FIG." must not appear. Applicant should amend the drawing and its corresponding descriptions in the specification to recite the term “Figure” rather than “FIG. 1”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Appropriate changes of the references in the specification to the drawings are also required. Prior Art The following references are noted though not relied upon in a rejection. US 2018/0265648 A1 to Francalanci describes a process of preparing a spinning solution for the production of acrylic fibers (see the abstract). The process includes preparing homopolymers or copolymers of acrylonitrile (see ¶ [0035]); treating the resulting polymer in a stripping column to produce a cake (see ¶ [0042]) and feeding a mixture of DMSO and water to a thin film evaporator. Francalanci does not disclose the presently recited step of feeding a reaction mixture to a thin film evaporator, and Francalanci does not disclose the presently recited combination of condensers and a distillation column. US 2022/0380946 A1 to Francalanci describes a single-step process for production of a carbon fiber precursor (see the abstract). The process includes a step feeding a reaction mixture to a thin-film evaporation system, collecting a mixture of acrylonitrile, water and DMSO from the head of the TFE , and reus ing the mixture in the preparation of a new reaction batch (see ¶ [0029]). Francalanci does not disclose the presently recited combination of condensers and a distillation column. US 2015/0057455 A1 to Hoppe describes a method for purification of 3-hydroxyproprionate (see the abstract and ¶ [0001]). The 3-hydroxyproprionate is vaporized (see ¶ [0011]) and condensed with multiple condensers (see ¶ [0014]). The purified material can be made into various downstream chemical products including acrylonitrile (see ¶ [0009]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT RICHARD A. HUHN whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-7345 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM EST . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Arrie (Lanee) Reuther can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 270-7026 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /RICHARD A. HUHN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1764