Polyether polyols with increased functionality

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for the preparation of a polyether polyol having a functionality of at least about 3, a molecular weight of from about 560 to about 35,000 and an OH number of from about 10 to about 1,100. This process comprises reacting (a) a polyether polyol containing one or more ether groups, having a functionality of about 2 to about 8, a molecular weight of about 106 to about 12,000, and an OH number of about 28 to about 1,400, with (b) cyanuric chloride, optionally, in the presence of (c) one or more catalysts; wherein the functionality of the resultant polyether polyols equals three times the functionality of (a) said polyether polyol, minus three. This invention also relates to the process of reacting a polyether polyol, formed by the stated reaction with cyanuric chloride, with an alkylene oxide, optionally in the presence of a catalyst, to form a polyether polyol that has a higher molecular weight and a functionality greater than or equal to the functionality of the polyether polyol used as the starter in this process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.