Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Covestro LLC

Carlos M Villa

Jean-Paul Masy

David A Babb

John W Weston

David Laitar

Richard J Keaton

Ricco B Borella

Flor A Castillo

Kevin C Seavey

Pradeep Jain

Francois M Casati

William Hoy Heath

Paul A Cookson

John G Pendergast, Jr

Anna Forlin

Hanno R Van Der Wal

Daniel Clay Floyd

Matthias Schaefer

Jan Willem Verwijs

Richard J Elwell

Nima N Nikbin

Irfan Khan

Myriam Linke

Walter C Moore

Leigh H Thompson

Walter J S Papadopulos

Esther E Quintanilla

Sweta Somasi

Maria Jose Nieves Remacha

David S Laitar

John G Pendergast

Alkylene oxide polymerizations are performed in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and certain magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound provides several benefits including more rapid catalyst activation, faster polymerization rates and the reduction in the amount of ultra high molecular weight polymers that are formed. The catalyst mixture is unexpectedly useful in making polyethers having low equivalent weights.

Alkylene oxide polymerization using a double metal cyanide catalyst complex and a magnesium, group 3-group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound

Alkylene oxides are polymerized in a tubular reactor. The alkylene oxide is continuously introduced into the tubular reactor through multiple introduction points located along the length of the tubular reactor. Monomer flow rates are increased along the length of the reactor to maintain a nearly constant concentration of unreacted alkylene oxide.

Alkoxylation process using tubular reactor

Polyether polyols are made by a process that includes a continuous addition of starter and alkylene oxide. The feed of starter is discontinued when 80 to 95% of the alkylene oxide has been fed to the reactor. This process produces a product with a narrow molecular weight distribution.

Process for preparing polyether polyol using DMC catalyst and continuous addition of starter

Ethylene carbonate is polymerized by itself or together with another cyclic monomer such as 1,2-propylene oxide in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst. Most of the ethylene carbonate adds to the chain to form a terminal carbonate group, which decarboxylates to produce a hydroxyethyl group at the end of the polymer chain. The polymerization of more ethylene carbonate onto the chain end results in the formation of poly(ethyleneoxy) units. Therefore, the process provides a method for making poly(ethyleneoxy) polymers without the need to polymerize ethylene oxide. The process is useful for making polyethers that are useful as water-absorbable polymers, surfactants and as raw materials for polyurethanes. The process is also useful for increasing the primary hydroxyl content of a polyether.

Process for making polyether alcohols having oxyethylene units by polymerization of ethylene carbonate in the presence of double metal cyanide catalysts

Copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide have an inner block that contains from 65-90 weight percent oxyethylene units and from 10 to 35 weight percent oxypropylene units. This block has a molecular weight of from 150 to 350. The copolymer has an outer block which contains at least 95 weight % oxypropylene units and from 0 to 5% oxyethylene units. The equivalent weight of the copolymer is from 800 to 2000. The copolymers are useful in making polyurethane foams that have unexpectedly high tensile and/or tear strengths.

Ethylene oxide/propylene oxide polyether polyols and polyurethanes made therefrom

Organic materials are stripped and dried in a single column having two contact zones. A stripping gas is introduced into an upper contact zone and flows through the organic material in that zone. A drying gas is introduced into a lower contact zone. The drying gas contacts the organic material in both the upper and lower contact zones, and is removed from the top of the column together with the stripping gas. This process permits very efficiently removal of volatile organic compounds as well as efficient drying, while requiring on low levels of the stripping and drying gasses.

Single column stripping and drying process

Polyether polyols having equivalent weights of up to 500 are continuously prepared in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst. A first step of the reaction is performed at a temperature of at least 150&#xb0; C., while controlling the hydroxyl content and unreacted alkylene oxide content of the reaction mixture to within certain ranges. A portion of that reaction mixture is withdrawn and permitted to react non-isothermally to consume the unreacted alkylene oxide. This process is highly efficient, does not result in catalyst deactivation, as is commonly seen in previous processes, and does not produce a significant ultra high molecular weight tail.

Method for continuously producing low equivalent weight polyols using double metal cyanide catalysts

Alkylene oxide polymerization using a double metal cyanide catalyst complex and a magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound

The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to compositions, apparatus, methods, and systems that may be used to produce polyols, for example, polyether polyols with a narrow range of molecular weights, with little if any unsaturated byproducts, in a sustained and/or continuous reaction, with efficient heat transfer, and/or at high production rates. For example, in some embodiments, teachings of the disclosure may be used to produce polyether polyols in a continuous loop flow process. A continuous loop flow process may be practiced such that heat is effectively transferred and/or product properties (e.g., range of molecular weights) are controllable. For example, a continuous loop flow process may use one or more continuous flow loops comprising a heat exchanger, a means to move material around each loop, inlets for catalyst, monomer, initiator or starter, and an outlet for polyol product.

Continuous loop flow process for polyether polyol production

A continuous process and system for producing polyether polyols that allows for continuously adding an unreacted oxide to a loop reactor while adding at least one thermally deactivating catalyst capable of thermally deactivating prior to decomposition of polyether polyol which can allow for greater concentrations of unreacted oxides and/or a rate of reaction in the loop reactor is at a rate at least two times faster than a rate of reaction in a loop reactor containing less than 14 weight percent unreacted oxide. In a preferred embodiment, the catalyst is a double metal cyanide catalyst and a plug flow reactor is formed in series with the loop reactor wherein neither reactor contains a vapor space.

Continuous process and system of producing polyether polyols

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Carlos M Villa