Continuous flow process for the polymerization of an alkylene oxide

A continuous-flow process for the polymerization of an alkylene oxide comprising:

• (a) mixing an alkylene oxide (1) with a monomer solvent (12), to form a monomer solution (121), wherein the monomer solvent is a polar aprotic solvent;
• (b) forming a reaction mixture (3) by mixing the monomer solution with an anionic initiator (2) selected among the alkali or alkaline-earth alkoxides of general formula R-O-M, wherein
• R is a straight, branched or cyclic alkyl chain, a heterocycle, a glycol or a combination of two or several of these,
• O is oxygen, and
• M is or comprises an alkali, an alkaline-earth metal or salt thereof;
• (c) allowing the reaction mixture to react for a polymerization time, t, comprised between 1 s and 60 min, at a polymerization temperature, T, comprised between 0 and 100° C., and at a polymerization pressure, P, comprised between 1 and 20 bar above atmospheric pressure, thus forming a polymerized solution (5) comprising a polymerized alkylene oxide (5p) and a solvent (5s);
• and
• (d) separating the solvent (5s) from the polymerized alkylene oxide (5p).