A draw solute for the forward osmosis membrane process comprises a random copolymer obtainable by random addition of a monomer containing ethylene oxide and butylene oxide to a compound having one or more hydroxyl groups.

Processes and production plants for preparing a polyol. The process includes continuously producing an intermediate polyol in a first reactor, b) continuously discharging the intermediate polyol from the first reactor, continuously mixing the intermediate polyol with an aqueous solutions of alkali metal to provide a mixture comprising the intermediate polyol, alkali metal, and water, continuously dehydrating the mixture comprising intermediate polyol, alkali metal, and water, thereby continuously producing a dehydrated mixture comprising the intermediate polyol and the alkali metal, transferring the dehydrated mixture to a second reactor, and producing the polyether polyol in the second reactor by feeding an alkylene oxide to the second reactor to thereby react the intermediate polyol with the alkylene oxide in the presence of the alkali metal.

Described herein are compounds according to general formula (I)

R.sup.1—CHR.sup.2—CH.sub.2—O-(AO).sub.x—CH.sub.2—CH(OH)—R.sup.3  (I).

Also described herein are a process to make the compounds according to general formula (I), and a method of using the compounds according to general formula (I) in a composition for automatic dishwashing.

A process for producing a polyetheramine by reacting a polyether alcohol, previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium or sodium compound as catalyst, with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst in one reactor or a plurality of reactors, wherein the employed polyether alcohol when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic potassium compound as catalyst has a content of potassium ions of less than 50 wppm and when previously synthesized in the presence of a basic sodium compound as catalyst has a content of sodium ions of less than 50 wppm.

The method for producing a polyalkylene glycol of the present invention is a method for producing a polyalkylene glycol, including performing a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide with a composite metal catalyst, the polymerization reaction being performed in the presence of an organic solvent in an amount of 10 to 90 mass % based on the polyalkylene glycol to be produced.

Disclosed is a process for manufacturing copolyether ester polyol comprising: (1) providing feedstock comprising polytetramethylene ether glycol having a number average molecular weight of 350 g/mol or less and an oligomeric cyclic ether content of 4.0% by weight or more and a diacid composition selected from alpha-omega alkanedioic acids of formula HO.sub.2C—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—CO.sub.2H, where n is from 2 through 16 to a reaction zone maintained at reaction conditions to produce a crude polyol product; (2) feeding the crude polyol product of step (1) to a separation zone at separation conditions to produce a first separation product having an oligomeric cyclic ether content of 2.0% by weight or greater, and a second separation product comprising copolyether ester polyol having an oligomeric cyclic ether content of less than 2.0% by weight; and (3) recovering the second separation product.

A copolymer includes 20 mol % to 80 mol % of —CF.sub.2CF.sub.2O— units, 20 mol % to 80 mol % of —CF(CF.sub.3)CF.sub.2O— units, and 0 mol % to 45 mol % of one or more additional perfluoroalkyleneoxy units. The copolymer has a molecular weight M.sub.n of 1,500 to 20,000, a viscosity index of 100 to 220, and an average tetrafluoroethylene oxide (TFEO) run length less than 6. A process of forming a perfluoroalkyl polyether copolymer includes feeding a gas stream containing TFEO and hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) into a reactor containing a fluorinated solvent, a fluoride salt, an ether, and an acid fluoride to form an acid fluoride-containing polymer. The process also includes hydrolyzing the acid fluoride-containing polymer to form a perfluoroalkyl polyether carboxylic acid or carboxylate salt. The process further includes distilling off the fluorinated solvent and treating the perfluoroalkyl polyether carboxylic acid or carboxylate salt with elemental fluorine to obtain the perfluoroalkyl polyether copolymer.

The present invention relates to compounds according to formula (Ia) or formula (Ib);

##STR00001##

wherein each W is independently selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, I and (CY.sub.2).sub.mCY.sub.3; each Y is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br and I; each Z is independently selected from the group consisting of H, OH, (CW.sub.2).sub.pCW.sub.3, CY.sub.3, OCW.sub.3, O(CW.sub.2).sub.pCW.sub.3, OCW((CY.sub.2).sub.mCY.sub.3)CWCW.sub.2, (CW.sub.2).sub.pOH, polyalkylene glycol and polyolester; n is an integer from 2 to 49; m is an integer from 0 to 3; p is an integer from 0 to 9; the molecular weight average (M.sub.W) is ≤5500; and the polydispersity index is ≤1.45; compositions comprising these compounds and methods for their production.

The invention relates to polyethers, polyamines, and polythioethers, as well as to processes for synthesizing them, e.g., using olefins as starting material.

Polyethers are prepared by polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst complex and certain M.sup.5 metal or semi-metal compounds. The double metal cyanide catalyst complex contains 0 5 to 2 weight percent potassium. The ability of this catalyst system to tolerate such high amounts of potassium permits the catalyst preparation procedure to be simplified and less expensive.