Additives for making polyurethanes are disclosed. The additives are based on combining specific carboxylic acids or carboxylic di-acids together with a gelling catalysts obtained when mixing an isocyanate-reactive tertiary amine catalysts with dimethyl tin di carboxylate salts and/or dimethyltin mercaptide salts.

The present invention provides compounds produced by the reaction of glycidyl ethers and glycidyl esters with ether compounds including N,N,N-trimethyl-bis-(aminoethyl) ether. N,N,N-trimethyl-bis-(aminoethyl) ether and its derivatives can be used as polyurethane catalysts.

The present invention provides for the use of nitrogen compounds of formula (I) and/or of corresponding quaternized and/or protonated compounds for production of polyurethanes, compositions containing these compounds and polyurethane systems, especially polyurethane foams, which have been obtained using the compounds.

A catalyst containing at least one amidine or guanidine group of formula (Ia) or (Ib), which is bound to a silicon atom of a siloxane residue. At room temperature, the catalyst is liquid and odorless. It is particularly suitable as a cross-linking catalyst for curable compositions, in particular for silane group-containing compositions. It is particularly good at accelerating the hardening of such compositions without impairing stability in storage, and displays little volatility but good compatibility. As a result, the compositions do not tend towards separation or migration or evaporation of the catalyst.

The present invention provides compounds produced by the reaction of glycidyl ethers and glycidyl esters with ether compounds including N,N,N-trimethyl-bis-(aminoethyl)ether. N,N,N-trimethyl-bis-(aminoethyl)ether and its derivatives can be used as polyurethane catalysts.

Polyol compositions that contain imide groups are prepared by producing imide compounds from trimellitic anhydride and an aromatic aminoacid or an aromatic diamine, then esterifying the imide compounds with one or more polyols that have hydroxyl equivalent weights of 30 to 500. Aromatic carboxylic acid derivatives may be present during the esterification step to produce polyol compositions that contain species that have imide groups, and other species that do not have imide groups. The polyol compositions are useful in making isocyanate-based polymers, in particular polyurethane and/or polyurethane-isocyanuranate foams. The presence of the imide groups in the isocyanate-based polymers imparts fire retardant properties.

A catalyst containing at least one amidine or guanidine group of formula (Ia) or (Ib), which is bound to a silicon atom of a siloxane residue. At room temperature, the catalyst is liquid and odourless. It is particularly suitable as a cross-linking catalyst for curable compositions, in particular for silane group-containing compositions. It is particularly good at accelerating the hardening of such compositions without impairing stability in storage, and displays little volatility but good compatibility. As a result, the compositions do not tend towards separation or migration or evaporation of the catalyst.

The present invention provides flexible and integral skin-containing polyurethane foams and two-component foam forming compositions for making them that comprise an aromatic polyisocyanate component, such as a methylene di(phenyl isocyanate), and a polyol component of an autocatalytic aliphatic polyether polyol and a melt modifying catalyst, such as potassium acetate, that exhibit excellent inherent flame retardant properties, passing exacting tests prescribed by the UN/ECE 118.02, Annexes 6, 7 and 8. The foam forming compositions may be all liquid and thus readily processible. Further, the two-component foam forming compositions and the polyurethane foams therefrom are halogen and melamine free and exhibit low emissions and low odor.