A method of producing a polyether polyol includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with one or more monomers in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, and the low molecular weight initiator has a nominal hydroxyl functionality of at least 2. The one or more monomers includes at least one selected from propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The polymerization catalyst is a Lewis acid catalyst having the 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, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independent, R.sup.1 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.2 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.3 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group, R.sup.1 being different from at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3.

A method of producing a polyether polyol that includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with one or more monomers 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, the one or more monomers including at least one selected from propylene oxide and butylene oxide, 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 R3 each includes a same fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer 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.

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.

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.

A method of producing a polyether polyol includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with ethylene oxide in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, and the low molecular weight initiator has a nominal hydroxyl functionality at least 2. The polymerization catalyst is a Lewis acid catalyst having the general formula M(R.sup.1).sub.1(R.sup.2).sub.1(R.sup.3).sub.1(R.sup.4)0 or 1, whereas M is boron, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independent, R.sup.1 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.2 incudes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.3 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group, R.sup.1 being different from at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3.

A method of producing an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant or lubricant, the method including 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).sub.I(R.sup.2).sub.I(R.sup.3).sub.I(R.sup.4).sub.0 or 1, whereas M is boron, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independent, R.sup.1 includes a first fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.2 includes a second fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a first fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.3 includes a third fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a second fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group, R.sup.1 being different from at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3. The method further including forming an 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.

A method of producing a polyether polyol includes reacting a low molecular weight initiator with one or more monomers in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, and the low molecular weight initiator has a nominal hydroxyl functionality of at least 2. The one or more monomers includes at least one selected from propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The polymerization catalyst is 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, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are each independent, R.sup.1 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.2 incudes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, R.sup.3 includes a fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, and optional R.sup.4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group, R.sup.1 being different from at least one of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3.

Poly(cyclic acetal)s, methods of making same, and uses of same. The poly(cyclic acetal)s may have a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 10 to 3000 kiloDaltons (kDa) and over 50% of the chain ends may exclude hydroxyl groups. The poly(cyclic acetal) may be a homopolymer or copolymer(s) of poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDXL). The poly(cyclic acetal)s may have one or more or all of: a thermal stability (Td,5%) of 337? C. to 392? C.; a thermal stability of (Td.50%) of 377? C. to 462? C.; or an Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) of 85.0 kJ/mol with 2 mol % of strong acid (e.g., pKa less than or equal to 4). Methods of polymerizing poly(cyclic acetal)s may comprise reacting cyclic acetal monomers with either Lewis acid catalysts and haloalkyl ether initiators or organic cation salt catalyst(s) and proton traps. Methods of chemically recycling poly(cyclic acetal)s into cyclic acetals may react poly(cyclic acetal)s with strong acids.

The invention relates to a method for producing polyether carbonate polyols by adding alkylene oxides and carbon dioxide to an H-functional starter substance in the presence of a double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst or in the presence of a metal complex catalyst based on the metals zinc and/or cobalt, wherein () alkylene oxide and carbon dioxide are added to an H-functional starter substance in a reactor with a total pressure (absolute) of 5 to 120 bar in the presence of a double metal cyanide catalyst or in the presence of a metal complex catalyst based on the metals zinc and/or cobalt, and a reaction mixture containing the polyether carbonate polyol is obtained, () the reaction mixture obtained in step () remains in the reactor or is optionally continuously transferred to a downstream reactor at a starting total pressure (absolute) of 5 to 120 bar, the content of free alkylene oxide in the reaction mixture being reduced in the course of a downstream reaction in each case, and the total pressure (absolute) can be reduced by up to 50% during the step (), and () the content of highly volatile components of the obtained reaction mixture is thermally reduced at a temperature of 80 C. to 200 C. The invention is characterized in that () the reaction mixture resulting from step () is brought to a total pressure (absolute) of 2.0 bar, preferably 0.5 bar to 2.0 bar, particularly preferably 0.9 bar to 1.1 bar, prior to step () and then left at a temperature of 80 to 180 C. for a dwell time of at least 0.5 h. After the dwell time has expired, 5 to 100 ppm of component K is added to the resulting mixture, component K being selected from at least one compound which contains a phosphorus-oxygen-hydrogen group.

The present invention is directed to methods of fabricating novel cross-linked membranes and to cross-linked membranes produced by the disclosed methods. Specifically, methods of fabricating cross-linked membranes according to the present invention may comprise direct crosslinking, crosslinking by addition of a small molecule, interfacial crosslinking of free-standing film, and interfacial crosslinking on a solid support.