Polymerization of ethylene oxide using metal cyanide catalysts
AssigneeDow Global Technologies LLC
InventorsKatherine S. Clement, Louis L. Walker, Richard M. Wehmeyer, Robert H. Whitmarsh, David C. Molzahn, William P. Dianis, David E. Laycock
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Abstract
Ethoxylations of various initiator compounds are performed in the presence of metal cyanide catalysts. The catalysts surprisingly form a wide variety of polyether products that in most cases contain only small amounts of high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide).
Claims16
A process for preparing a polyether, comprising forming a mixture of an initiator compound having one or more oxyalkylatable groups, ethylene oxide and a metal cyanide catalyst complex, activating the catalyst in the presence of ethylene oxide and the absence of propylene oxide, and subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to ethoxylate the oxyalkalatable groups of the initiator.
A process for homopolymerizing ethylene oxide, comprising forming a mixture of an initiator compound having one or more oxyalkylatable groups, ethylene oxide and a metal cyanide catalyst complex, and subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to ethoxylate the oxyalkalatable groups of the initiator to form a homopolymer of ethylene oxide having a molecular weight of about 1000 daltons or less.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.