The Dow Chemical Company

Raymond A Plepys

Maurice J Marks

Van A Kent

Paul D Bettge

Johnny Chavez, Jr

Robert B Turner

Hans R Friedli

Ralph D Priester, Jr

Robert H Whitmarsh

Philip W McGraw

Richard D Peffley

James R Porter

Paul E Cranley

Vaughn M Nace

Paul J Kress

Edgar F Hoy

Richard J Elwell

James P Cosman

Kimbley A Bushman

Manuel Gonzales, Jr

Richard N Gerstle

Andrew S Farnum

Randall K Whitmire

Craig A McClure

This invention involves several ways for improving a coalescing process for purifying a crude polyether. In one aspect, particulate zirconium dioxide is selected as a coalescing medium. In a second aspect, alkali metal catalyst is recovered and recycled to make additional polyether product. In a third aspect, a polyether stream obtained from the coalescing step is purified by stripping water in at least two phases, the first of which involves moderate conditions so that water but not allyl alcohol or higher molecular weight impurities are removed from the polyether, and the second of which involves more stringent stripping conditions. In a fourth aspect, crude polyether that is subjected to a holding period before undergoing a coalescing step is mixed with water to minimize the formation of impurities that are believed to compatibilize the aqueous and polyether phases. In a fifth aspect, the coalescing process is conducted under a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Process for purifying polyethers

The invention is a high molecular weight polyether polyol prepared by the reaction of one or more compounds having one or more active hydrogen compounds with one or more alkylene oxides in the presence of a catalyst comprising calcium having counterions of carbonate and a C,alkanoate in a solvent or dispersant which does not contain active hydrogen atoms. The polyether polyol prepared preferably has an equivalent weight of from about,to about,a polydispersity of about,or less and a residual catalyst level of from about,to about,parts per million (ppm).

High molecular weight polyols, process for preparation and use thereof

The concentration of propenyl ethers in a hydroxy-functional polyether having oxypropylene units is reduced by a process including the step of contacting the polyether with an acid ion exchange resin for a time and at a temperature sufficient for the conversion of at least some of the propenyl ethers to propionaldehyde and in the presence of sufficient water for the conversion. Optionally, the polyether is treated with an epoxy compound in an amount sufficient to reduce the acidity of the polyol.

Purified hydroxy-functional polyether compounds

A process for reducing the amount of propenyl polyethers in hydroxy-functional polyethers comprising (1) contacting a neutral hydroxy-functional polyether, containing a propenyl polyether and water, and an acid catalyst soluble in the hydroxy-functional polyether under reaction conditions sufficient to convert at least a portion of the propenyl polyether to propionaldehyde; (2) contacting the product of step (1) and an epoxy compound to substantially scavenge the acid catalyst; and (3) stripping the product of step (2) to substantially remove the epoxy compound the the propionaldehyde. The resulting hydroxy-functional polyethers contain reduced amounts of propenyl polyethers and can therefore be used to prepare polyurethane foams having a reduced tendency to discoloration.

Process to reduce propenyl polyethers in hydroxyfunctional polyethers

This invention comprises a process whereby an amine functional compound having an equivalent weight of at least about 400 is reacted with an excess of a polyisocyanate to form an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer or quasi prepolymer, which polymer or quasi prepolymer is reacted with an isocyanate-reactive material which is preferably a relatively low equivalent weight polyol or mixture thereof with an additional amount of said amine functional compound or a relatively high equivalent weight polyol to form a polyurea containing polymer which is preferably non-cellular or microcellular.

Polyurea polymers prepared from urea containing prepolymers

This invention is an improvement in a process by which a polyepoxide and a polyisocyanate are reacted to form an oxazolidone containing polymer or polymer precursor. This improvement comprises conducting said reaction in the presence of a catalytic amount of an organoantimony iodide catalyst. In such improved process, the oxazolidone forming reaction proceeds much more rapidly than the trimerization reaction of the polyisocyanate or the homopolymerization of the polyepoxide. As a result, the product polymer or polymer precursor contains a surprisingly small proportion of isocyanurates. In addition, the overall rate of reaction is substantially increased as compared to that achieved with conventional catalysts, thereby reducing the time and stringency of conditions required to form the desired product.

Polyisocyanurate-based polyoxazolidone polymers and process for their

Liquid distillation residue formed in the phosgenation of polyamines to form polyisocyanates are hydrolyzed to reform the polyamine. The process comprises forming an adduct of the distillation residue with additional polyamine and then hydrolyzing the resulting adduct to convert the adduct to said polyamine.

Hydrolysis of isocyanate distillation bottoms

Reaction of the diphenyl ether with formaldehyde, an alcohol, water and acid catalyst produces a mixture of condensation products that can be cured to useful, thermally stable resins. These condensation products are also useful as functional fluids in capacitors and other electrical devices.

Formaldehyde-diaromatic ether reaction products

Novel copolymer resins having the repeating unit ##STR1## WHEREIN EACH R is independently alkyl of 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or halogen, z is oxygen or sulfur, the dashed line is an optional chemical bond, the group represented by z taken with the dashed line represents dibenzofuran and dibenzothiophene moieties, or mixtures thereof, each R' is hydrogen or ##STR2## wherein each R' is a hydrocarbon or substituted hydrocarbon radical of from 2 to about 11 carbon atoms, n averages about 3-10, each m is 0-2 and p and q are each 0 or 1 with the proviso that the sum of p and q has an average value of 0.1-1.0 and there is an average of at least one carboxyl group per polymer molecule, are prepared by reacting a mixture comprising a hydroxymethylated diphenylether-formaldehyde copolymer with an anhydride of the formula ##STR3## wherein R' is a hydrocarbon or substituted hydrocarbon radical of from 2 to about 11 carbon atoms, at a temperature between about 120.degree. and about 170.degree. C. The copolymer resins form stable aqueous solutions in the presence of base which, when heated in the presence of a water-soluble curing agent, such as hexamethoxymethylmelamine, yield glossy, flexible and impact-, solvent-, and water-resistant films.

Carboxylated diphenylether-formaldehyde copolymer resins and their

Aqueous dispersions comprising: A. a thermosetting hydroxy-functional condensation copolymer, such as the copolymer of diphenyl oxide and formaldehyde; B. a curing amount of curing agent, such as acid-catalyzed hexamethoxymethylmelamine; and C. an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol, have good shelf stability.

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Raymond A Plepys