Method for the homogeneously catalyzed production of terminal group-capped polyethers

A process for preparing compounds of the general formula (I)

• where
• R1 is hydrogen, halogen, a straight-chain or branched C1-C10-alkyl, C6-C14-aryl, C7-C18-arylalkyl or C4-C10-cycloalkyl radical,
• n is an integer of at least 1,
• m is an integer of at least 1,
• X and X1 are identical or different and are each oxygen, sulfur or —NH,
• A is a straight-chain or branched C1-C20-alkylene radical, a (—CH2—CH2—X2—)p—CH2—CH2— radical, where p is an integer from 2 to 20 and X2 is oxygen, sulfur or —NH, or a —(CH2)r—X3—(CH2)s— radical, where r and s are each, independently of one another, an integer from 1 to 20 and X3 is oxygen, sulfur or an —NH radical,
• Y and Y1 are identical or different and are each a radical having the general formula (II), (III) or (IV) below,
• where
• the radicals Z are identical or different and are each oxygen, sulfur, an —NH radical or an —NCH3 radical,
• v is an integer from 1 to 6,
• R2, R3 and R4 are identical or different and are each hydrogen, a C1-C10-alkyl, C6-C14-aryl, C7-C18-arylalkyl or C4-C10-cycloalkyl radical, and the depiction of Z in the middle of the cyclohexyl ring of the formula (IV) means that one of the carbon atoms in the cyclohexyl ring can be replaced by a unit Z,
• or
• Y can also be a radical of the general formula (V),
• where m, n, R1 and Y1 have the meanings given above,
• by reacting compounds of the general formula (VIa) and/or (VIb)
• where m, n, R1, X, A and X1 have the corresponding meanings given above for the compounds of the general formula (I),
• with a compound of the general formulae (VII), (VIII) or (IX)
• where R2, R3, R4, Z and v have the same meanings as given above for the radicals of the general formulae (II), (III) and (IV),
• characterized in that the reaction is carried out in the presence of a Brönsted acid present in water-free form as catalyst.