The present disclosure provides a Lewis acid-base pair catalytic initiator and an application thereof. The Lewis acid-base pair catalytic initiator includes a Lewis acid and a Lewis base, the Lewis acid having a structural general formula as shown in formula (I) and the Lewis base having a structural general formula as shown in formula (II); wherein: the A is selected from element Baron or element Aluminum; the R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 are independently selected from alkyl, alkoxy, aryl or halogen groups; the alkyl or alkoxy have a carbon number being equal to or greater than 1 to equal to or less than 16; the aryl contains substituents with the number being equal to or less than 5, the substituents being selected from methyl, methoxy or halogen; n is selected from an integer from 1 to 16.

A method of producing a polyether polyol that includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with ethylene oxide in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, the low molecular weight initiator having a number average molecular weight of less than 1,000 g/mol and a nominal hydroxyl functionality at least 2, and the polymerization catalyst being a Lewis acid catalyst having the general formula M(R.sup.1)1(R.sup.2)1(R.sup.3)1(R.sup.4)0 or 1. Whereas, M is boron, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 each includes a same fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group. R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are the same fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group. The method further includes forming a polyether polyol having a number average molecular weight of greater than the number average molecular weight of the low molecular weight initiator in the presence of the Lewis acid catalyst.

The present invention is concerned with a reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization, which is able to micronize the particle diameter of a polymer emulsion and to reduce the addition amount of the reactive surfactant composition to be used. The reactive surfactant composition for emulsion polymerization of the present invention contains a reactive anionic surfactant (component A) represented by the following formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein AO represents an alkyleneoxy group having a carbon number of 3 or more and 18 or less; EO represents an ethyleneoxy group; p represents an integer of 1 or more and 15 or less; m′ represents an integer of 0 or more; n′ represents an integer of 0 or more; M.sup.+ represents a hydrogen ion or a cation; and plural kinds of AOs may coexist.

A method of producing an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant or lubricant includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with ethylene oxide in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, the low molecular weight initiator having a nominal hydroxyl functionality at least 1, and the polymerization catalyst being a Lewis acid catalyst having the general formula M(R.sup.1)1(R.sup.2)1(R.sup.3)1(R.sup.4).sub.0 or 1, whereas M is boron, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each includes a same fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group. R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are the same fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group. The method further includes forming the alcohol ethoxylate surfactant or lubricant having a number average molecular weight of greater than the number average molecular weight of the low molecular weight initiator in the presence of the Lewis acid catalyst.

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe polymerization systems for the synthesis of polycarbonate polyols, methods of synthesizing polycarbonate polyols using the polymerization systems, methods of recovering initiators and/or activators for use or re-use in the synthesis of polycarbonate polyol, and the like. The polymerization systems can comprise an initiator including a mono- or multi-functional carboxylate or carbonate salt having an organic cation as a counter-ion; an optional co-initiator including a mono- or multi-functional protic compound selected from acids, alcohols, water, and combinations thereof; and an activator including a borane compound selected from alkyl boranes and aryl boranes; wherein the activator and one or more of the initiator and co-initiator associate to form an ate complex.

The present disclosure belongs to the field of organic synthesis, and particularly relates to a ring-opening polymerization method for a cyclic monomer. A specific solution is that a Lewis acid-base pair is used to catalyze ring-opening polymerization of the cyclic monomer in the presence of an initiator. By using the Lewis acid-base pair as a catalyst, on one hand, a range of a ring-opening polymerization catalyst is widened, and on the other hand, this catalyst achieves a higher catalytic efficiency and is milder in comparison with previously reported strong acid or strong base catalysts. In addition, through a bifunctional activation mechanism, this catalyst system activates the monomer and simultaneously activates the initiator or a chain end, and has the characteristics of high efficiency in comparison with the reported monomer activation mechanism or chain end activation mechanism. By adopting the catalyst, a polyester product with a target molecular weight can be synthesized in a controlled manner as required, with a narrower molecular weight distribution index, a high product yield, a high product conversion rate and no monomer or metal residues.

A method of producing a polyether alcohol that includes feeding an initiator into a reactor, feeding one or more monomers into the reactor, feeding a polymerization catalyst into the reactor, the polymerization catalyst being a Lewis acid catalyst having a general formula M(R.sup.1).sub.1(R.sup.2).sub.1(R.sup.3).sub.1(R.sup.4).sub.0 or 1, separate from feeding the initiator into the reactor, feeding a hydrogen bond acceptor additive into the reactor, the hydrogen bond acceptor additive being a C.sub.2 to C.sub.20 organic molecule having at least two hydroxyl groups, of which two hydroxyl groups are situated in 1,2-, 1,3-, or 1,4- positions on the organic molecule, and allowing the initiator to react with the one or more monomers in the presence of the polymerization catalyst and the hydrogen bond acceptor additive to form a polyether alcohol having a number average molecular weight greater than a number average molecular weight of the initiator.

Described herein is a compact polyurethane having a density of ≥850 g/l, obtainable by reacting at least the components: i) a polyisocyanate composition; and ii) a polyol composition, including at least one polyether polyol (ii.1) which is obtainable by reacting ii.1.1) a polyol starter with a functionality of 3 to 6 with ii.1.2) propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide, in the presence of a boron-based, fluorine-containing Lewis acid catalyst (ii.1.3), where the polyether polyol (ii.1) has an equivalent molecular weight of 50 to 150 g/mol, and ii.1.4) optionally further auxiliaries and/or additives.

Also described herein are a process for producing such a compact polyurethane and compact polyurethanes obtainable by this process. Also described herein is a method of using such a compact polyurethane for the production of a fiber composite. Also described herein are a corresponding fiber composite material and a process for producing such a fiber composite.

The present disclosure provides a Lewis acid-base pair catalytic initiator and an application thereof. The Lewis acid-base pair catalytic initiator includes a Lewis acid and a Lewis base, the Lewis acid having a structural general formula as shown in formula (I) and the Lewis base having a structural general formula as shown in formula (II); wherein: the A is selected from element Baron or element Aluminum; the R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 are independently selected from alkyl, alkoxy, aryl or halogen groups; the alkyl or alkoxy have a carbon number being equal to or greater than 1 to equal to or less than 16; the aryl contains substituents with the number being equal to or less than 5, the substituents being selected from methyl, methoxy or halogen; n is selected from an integer from 1 to 16.

A Lewis acid polymerization catalyst has a general formula M(R.sup.1).sub.1(R.sup.2).sub.1(R.sup.3).sub.1(R.sup.4).sub.0 or 1, whereas M is boron, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independent, R.sup.1 is a 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.2 is the 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-substituted phenyl group or a first fluoro-substituted phenyl group selected from Set 1 structures, R.sup.3 is independently a second fluoro-substituted phenyl group selected from the Set 1 structures, and optional R.sup.4 includes a third functional group or functional polymer group.