Alkylene oxide polymerization using phosphonium catalysts

Abstract

Alkoxylation reactions are performed in the presence of a phosphonium catalyst having the structure P+(XR1R2R3)A1 wherein R1 is a group having an unsubstituted or inertly substituted aromatic five-member ring having a direct bond between an atom of the aromatic five-member ring and the phosphorus atom, and each R2 is independently a group having an unsubstituted or inertly substituted, optionally heteroatomic, aromatic five- or six-member ring having a direct bond between a carbon atom of the optionally heteroatomic aromatic five- or six-member ring and the phosphorus atom. X is selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, C1-12 perfluoroalkyl, C1-12 alkyl, aryloxy and C1-12 alkoxy, and A is a weakly coordinating anion.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.