Catalyst complexes include a zinc hexacyanocobaltate with M.sup.5 metal and M.sup.6 metal or semi-metal phases, wherein M.sup.5 metal is gallium, hafnium, manganese, titanium and/or indium and the M.sup.6 metal or semi-metal is one or more of aluminum, magnesium, manganese, scandium, molybdenum, cobalt, tungsten, iron, vanadium, tin, titanium, silicon and zinc and is different from the M.sup.5 metal. The catalysts are highly efficient propylene oxide polymerization catalysts characterized by rapid activation, short times to the onset of rapid polymerization and high polymerization rates once rapid polymerization has begun.

The present invention discloses a Double Metal Cyanide (DMC) catalyst(s) useful for the production of polyether polyols (PEPO) and a less energy intensive room temperature method for the synthesis thereof. The catalyst(s) comprises of a DMC complex, an organic complexing agent, i.e., ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and other co-complexing organic agents, e.g., t-BuOH, PEPO of composition ranging from about 1 to 10 wt %, wherein the average molecular weight of PEPO used ranged from 200 to 1000. A method of preparing a series of DMC catalyst(s) at room temperature with varying compositional ratios of the complexing and co-complexing agents targeting a wide range of PEPO of varying kinematic viscosity range is also disclosed. These DMC catalyst(s) are amorphous, highly active, and easily separable from product PEPO with recyclability/recoverability, making the product PEPO better industrially applicable and DMC catalyst more cost-effective.

This invention relates to an in-situ formed polyol blend having an overall functionality of 2 to 3 and an overall hydroxyl number of 50 to 150. A process for preparing these polyol blends is also disclosed. These in-situ formed polyol blends are suitable for preparing viscoelastic flexible polyurethane foams. A process for preparing these foams is also disclosed.

The invention provides a process for producing diol, characterized in that the process comprises the steps of (1-i) addition of alkylene oxide and carbon dioxide to an H-functional starter substance in the presence of a catalyst to obtain polyether carbonate polyol and cyclic carbonate, (1-ii) separation of the cyclic carbonate from the resulting reaction mixture from step (1-i), (1-iii) hydrolytic cleavage of the cyclic carbonate separated from step (1-ii) into carbon dioxide and diol, (1-iv) optionally distillative purification of the diol from step (1-iii), wherein (η) to the cyclic carbonate from step (1-ii) and/or to the diol a Lewis or Brønsted acid, excluding carboxylic acids having a pKa of >3.0, and optionally water are added and the reaction mixture obtained is optionally neutralized.

An alkylene oxide derivative represented by formula (1), wherein a ratio Mz/Mw of a weight average molecular weight (Mw) and z average molecular weight (Mz) calculated from a chromatogram obtained by gel permeation chromatography measurement of the alkylene oxide derivative satisfies formula (2) below:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}{Z-\left[O-{\left(PO\right)}_a-{\left(PO\right)}_b/\left(EO\right)c\right]-H]}_n& \left(1\right)\\ 5\leqq M_z/M_w\leqq 60& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

where Z, n, PO, EO, a, b and c are as defined herein; a+b+c≥10, and b/c=1/5˜5/1; (PO).sub.b/(EO).sub.c indicates that PO and EO are randomly added; and a random ratio x of PO and EO satisfies 0.1≤x≤1.

Alkylene oxide polymerizations are performed in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and certain magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound provides several benefits including more rapid catalyst activation, faster polymerization rates and the reduction in the amount of ultra high molecular weight polymers that are formed. The catalyst mixture is unexpectedly useful in making polyethers having low equivalent weights.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a double metal cyanide catalyst (DMC) comprising the reaction of an aqueous solution of a cyanide-free metal salt, an aqueous solution of a metal cyanide salt, an organic complex ligand and a complex-forming component, to form a dispersion, wherein the reaction is effected using a mixing nozzle and wherein the process temperature of the dispersion during the reaction is between 26° C. and 49° C. The subject matter of the invention further encompasses double metal cyanide catalysts (DMC) obtainable in accordance with the process according to the invention and also the use of the DMC catalysts for the preparation of polyoxyalkylene polyols.

A method of manufacturing a poly(ether-carbonate) polyol comprises a polymerization stage that includes polymerizing carbon dioxide and at least one alkylene oxide, with a starter, in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and a catalyst promoter that is devoid of halide anions and cyanide. The catalyst promoter is separate from the double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst.

The invention relates to a method for producing polyether carbonate polyols, wherein (i) in a first step a polyether carbonate polyol is produced from one or more H-functional starter substances, one or more alkylene oxides, and carbon dioxide in the presence of at least one DMC catalyst, and (ii) in a second step the polyether carbonate polyol is chain-extended with a mixture of at least two different alkylene oxides in the presence of at least one DMC catalyst. The invention further relates to polyether carbonate polyols that contain a terminal mixed block of at least two alkylene oxides and to a method for producing soft polyurethane foams, wherein a polyol component containing a polyether carbonate polyol according to the invention is used.

Provided herein is a process for preparing a heterocycle-functional polyoxyalkylene polyol, in which a polyoxyalkylene polyol having unsaturated groups is reacted with a heterocyclic compound. Also provided herein is a heterocycle-functional polyoxyalkylene polyol, a method of crosslinking a heterocycle-functional polyoxyalkylene polyol, a crosslinked, heterocycle-functional polyoxyalkylene polyol, and related processes.