Lactone-modified diol

Abstract

A novel lactone-modified diol useful as a soft segment component which provides a thermoplastic elastomer showing excellent performances in elastic recovery and low-temperature properties is provided. This lactone-modified diol is represented by the general formula: OH--Y.O.CO.O).sub.p (A--O).sub.l (B--O).sub.m (CO.Y.O).sub.q H wherein Y is a bivalent residue derived by removing the ester bond from a 6- to 8-carbon saturated aliphatic lactone ring, p and q are positive numbers determined from the amount of a saturated aliphatic lactone to be reacted and p+q.gtoreq.1, A represents ##STR1## B represents --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, and l and m are positive numbers satisfying the relationships: l+m=about 6 to 140 and l/m=10/90 to 100/0 (molar ratio), and is obtained by reacting 1 mol of a polyalkylene ether diol of the general formula: HO--A--O).sub.l (B--O).sub.m H with at least one mol of a 6- to 8-carbon saturated aliphatic lactone.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.