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US 2026/0109662 A1Published application
Alkoxylation processes using phosphonium dicatecholate catalysts
AssigneesDow Global Technologies LLC, Rohm and Haas Company
InventorsPeter J. WALLER, Sandra Varinia BERNALES CANDIA, Robert KENNEDY, Arjun RAGHURAMAN, Clark H. CUMMINS, Matthew E. BELOWICH
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Abstract
Polyethers are prepared by polymerizing a cyclic oxide in the presence of a starter and certain phosphonium catalysts. The phosphonium catalysts are highly active and effective in such small quantities that it is often unnecessary to remove catalyst residues from the product. The phosphonium catalysts are very effective in alkoxylating even low molecular weight starters such as glycerol and sorbitol.
Claims11
An alkoxylation process, comprising:
- (step I) forming a reaction mixture comprising:
- a) a starter compound having at least one hydroxyl or thiol group,
- b) at least one cyclic oxide, and
- c) a catalytically effective amount of a phosphonium dicatecholate catalyst having the structure:
- wherein each R is independently hydrogen, halogen, unsubstituted or inertly substituted C1-12 alkoxyl, aryloxy, unsubstituted or inertly substituted linear, branched and/or cyclic alkyl and unsubstituted or inertly substituted aryl, wherein any two R groups may together form a ring structure, A represents a weakly coordinating anion and n represents the valence of A;
- and
- (step II) reacting the cyclic oxide b)_with the starter compound a)_in the presence of the phosphonium dicatecholate catalyst c) to form an alkoxylated starter product.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.