Polyethers based on oxetanes for use as wetting agents and as dispersants and production thereof

A polyether of the general formula (I):

• in which
• u is 0 or 1,
• v is 1 to 60,
• w is 1 to 20,
• R1 is a monovalent organic radical having 1 to 100 carbon atoms,
• R2 is a divalent organic radical, wherein
• if u=0, R2 is CHR2aCHR2b, wherein
• R2a and R2b independently of one another are
• hydrogen, or
• comprise a monovalent organic radical selected from
• an aliphatic radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms,
• an aromatic radical having 6 to 8 carbon atoms, or
• an araliphatic radical having 7 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein
• if u=1, R2 comprises an aliphatic radical having 2 to 24 carbon atoms;
• R3, R4, R7 and R8 independently of one another are
• hydrogen, or
• comprise a monovalent organic radical selected from
• an aliphatic radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms,
• an aromatic radical having 6 to 8 carbon atoms, or
• an araliphatic radical having 7 to 10 carbon atoms,
• R5 is a radical R5a or R5b, wherein
• R5a comprises
• a monovalent organic radical selected from
• an aliphatic radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
• an aromatic radical having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, or
• an araliphatic radical having 7 to 24 carbon atoms,
• and
• R5b comprises
• a radical CH2—O—R5c, in which R5c is
• hydrogen or
• comprises a monovalent organic radical
• containing one or more hydroxyl groups and a radical selected from
• an aliphatic radical having 1 to 24 carbon atoms,
• an aromatic radical having 6 to 14 carbon atoms, or
• an araliphatic radical having 7 to 18 carbon atoms,
• R6 is hydrogen or a monovalent organic radical of R5a,
• R9 has the definition of R5c and is selected independently of R5c;
• and wherein
• (a) the radicals R1, R2, R3, R4, R5a, R6, R7 and R8 are free of carboxyl, hydroxyl, thiol, imino, primary amino, and secondary amino groups,
• (b) 10 to 100 mol % of the hydroxyl groups of radicals R5b and R9 and/or formed by elimination of hydrolytically eliminable radicals have been replaced by radicals OT selected from
• radicals —O—P(O)(OH)2-x(O⊖Z⊕)x, in which x is 0, 1 or 2,
• radicals —O—S(O2)(OH)1-y(O⊖Z⊕)y, in which y is 0 or 1, and
• radicals —O—(C═O)s—(NH)t—Ta, in which s is 0 or 1 and t is 0 or 1,
• wherein if s=0, then t=0, and wherein Ta is a
• monovalent organic radical having 1 to 100 carbon atoms which optionally comprises one or more of the following radicals
• COOH,
• COO⊖Z⊕,
• —O—P(O)(OH)2-x(O⊖Z⊕)x and
• —O—S(O2)(OH)1-y(O⊖Z⊕)y,
• and the above radicals Z independently of one another are alkali metal cations, an ammonium ion or protonated or quaternized amines, and
• (c) at least one of the radicals OT comprises at least one of the radicals —O—P(O)(OH)2-x(O⊖Z⊕)x or —O—S(O2)(OH)1-y(O⊖Z⊕)y.