Catalysts for alkoxylation reactions

A method for the ethoxylation of alcohols to yield a sharply peaked alkoxylate distribution comprising contacting in the absence of water said alcohols with ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one material of the general formula ##STR10## at a temperature of about 25.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. for a time sufficient to alkoxylate to the extent desired, wherein at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 must be alkyl or alkoxide, wherein M.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of aluminum gallium, indium and thallium and M.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium and hafnium, and wherein the alcohol ethoxylate is at least one alcohol selected from the group consisting of 1-dodecanol;

• 1-tridecanol;
• 1-tetradecanol;
• 1-pentadecanol;
• 1-hexadecanol;
• 1-heptadecanol;
• 1-octadecanol;
• 1-nonadecanol;
• 1-eicosanol;
• 1-docosanol;
• 2-methyl-1-undecanol;
• 2-propyl-1-nonanol;
• 2-butyl-1-octanol;
• 2-methyl-1-tridecanol;
• 2-ethyl-1-dodecanol;
• 2-propyl-1-undecanol;
• 2-butyl-1-decanol;
• 2-pentyl-1-nonanol;
• 2-hexyl-1-octanol;
• 2-methyl-1-pentadecanol;
• 2-ethyl-1-tetradecanol;
• 2-propyl-1-tridecanol;
• 2-butyl-1-dodecanol;
• 2-pentyl-1-undecanol;
• 2-hexyl-1-decanol;
• 2-heptyl-1-decanol;
• 2-hexyl-1-nonanol;
• 2-octyl-1-octanol;
• 2-methyl-1-heptadecanol;
• 2-ethyl-1-hexadecanol;
• 2-propyl-1-pentadecanol;
• 2-butyl-1-tetradecanol;
• 1-pentyl-1-tridecanol;
• 2-hexyl-1-dodecanol;
• 2-octyl-1-decanol;
• 2-nonyl-1-nonanol;
• 2-dodecanol;
• 3-dodecanol;
• 4-dodecanol;
• 5-dodecanol;
• 6-dodecanol;
• 2-tetradecanol;
• 3-tetradecanol;
• 4-tetradecanol;
• 5-tetradecanol;
• 6-tetradecanol;
• 7-tetradecanol;
• 2-hexadecanol;
• 3-hexadecanol;
• 4-hexadecanol;
• 5-hexadecanol;
• 6-hexadecanol;
• 7-hexadecanol;
• 8-hexadecanol;
• 2-octadecanol;
• 3-octadecanol;
• 4-octadecanol;
• 5-octadecanol;
• 6-octadecanol;
• 7-octadecanol;
• 8-octadecanol;
• 9-octadecanol;
• 9-octadecenol-1;
• 2,4,6-trimethyl-1-heptanol;
• 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-1-nonanol;
• 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexanol;
• 3,5,5,7,7-pentamethyl-1-octanol;
• 3-butyl-1-nonanol;
• 3-butyl-1-undecanol;
• 3-hexyl-1-undecanol;
• 3-hexyl-1-tridecanol;
• 3-octyl-1-tridecanol;
• 2-methyl-2-indecanol;
• 3-methyl-3-undecanol;
• 4-methyl-4-undecanol;
• 2-methyl-2-tridecanol;
• 3-methyl-3-tridecanol;
• 4-methyl-3-tridecanol;
• 4-methyl-4-tridecanol;
• 3-ethyl-3-decanol;
• 3-ethyl-3-dodecanol;
• 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2-nonanol;
• 2-methyl-3-undecanol;
• 2-methyl-4-undecanol;
• 4-methyl-2-undecanol;
• 5-methyl-2-undecanol;
• 4-ethyl-2-decanol;
• 4-ethyl-3-decanol;
• tetracosanol;
• hexacosanol;
• octacosanol;
• triacontanol;
• dotriacontanol;
• hexatriacontanol;
• 2-decyltriacontanol;
• dotriacontanol;
• hexatriacontanol;
• 2-decyltetradecanol;
• 2-dodecylhexadecanol;
• 2-tetradecyloctadecanol;
• 2-hexadecyleicosanol;
• and unsaturated alcohols such as 1-hexyn-3-ol;
• 4-ethyl-1-octyl-3-ol;
• 2-methyl-3-butyn2-ol;
• 3-methyl1-pentyn-3-ol;
• oleyl alcohols (technically named cis-9-octadecene-1-ol);
• 2,5-dimethyl-4-octyne-3,6-diol;
• 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-4-decyne-4,7-diol;
• 3-dodecene-1-ol;
• and 3,6-dimethyl-8-dodecene-1-ol.