Surface-active agent

Abstract

A surface-active agent comprising a polycarbonate block polyether of the formula I: wherein: A is derived from a polyfunctional starter compound; PC represents a carbonate block with P repeat units of formula: wherein: Re1, Re2, Re3, and Re4 are all H; or one of Re1, Re2, Re3, and Re4 is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or an ether, ester or carbonate group, and the remaining three of Re1, Re2, Re3, and Re4 are all H; PE represents a polyether block with Q repeat units of formula: wherein: Re1′, Re2′, Re3′, and Re4′ are all H; or one of Re1′, Re2′, Re3′, and Re4′ is methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or an ether, ester or carbonate group, and the remaining three of Re1′, Re2′, Re3′, and Re4′ are all H; Z is OH, O—R, O—C(O)—R or O—C(O)—O—R; wherein each R is independently an optionally substituted (including with heteroatoms) straight or branched chain or cyclic alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, alkenyl, alkenaryl, or aralkenyl group; wherein the value of each P and the value of each Q are each independently from 1 to 50; and X is 2 or more.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.