Alkoxylation of active hydrogen-containing compounds

A process for preparing an alkoxylated active hydrogen-containing compound which comprises (i) contacting an active hydrogen-containing compound with an alkylene carbonate under conditions effective to produce a carboxylated alkoxylated active hydrogen-containing compound, and (ii) contacting the carboxylated alkoxylated active hydrogen-containing compound with a mixed metal oxide catalyst under conditions effective to decarboxylate the carboxylated alkoxylated active hydrogen-containing compound;

• wherein the product is characterized by a mixture having at least one alkoxylation moiety which constitutes about 18 to 40 weight percent of the mixture;
• the weight percent of the mixture having three or more oxyalkylene units than the average peak alkoxylation specie is less than about 12 weight percent of the mixture;
• the alkoxylation specie having one oxyalkylene group more than that of the most prevalent specie and the alkoxylation specie having one oxyalkylene group less than that of the most prevalent specie are present in a weight ratio to the most prevalent specie of about 0.6:1 to 1:1.