Disclosed herein are catalyst systems useful for a wide range of ring opening polymerization processes. Epoxides, oxetanes, lactones and cyclic carbonates are all suitable substrates for the ring opening polymerization.

The invention relates to a cationically curable composition with at least one cationically polymerizable component, a first photoinitiator releasing an acid when irradiated with actinic radiation of a first wavelength λ.sub.1, and a second photoinitiator releasing an acid when irradiated with actinic radiation of a second wavelength λ.sub.2, wherein the second wavelength λ.sub.2 is shorter than the first wavelength λ.sub.1, and wherein the second photoinitiator, after irradiation of the composition with actinic radiation of the first wavelength λ.sub.1, shows an absorption of actinic radiation of the second wavelength λ.sub.2 in the composition that is sufficient to activate the second photoinitiator and fix the composition. Furthermore, a method is described for the joining, casting, molding, sealing and/or coating of substrates using the cationically curable composition.

Degradable ethylene oxide-based copolymers, including random, tapering, and block copolymers are described. For example, the present disclosure describes materials and methods for synthesizing degradable hydrophilic ethylene oxide-based copolymers, degradable amphiphilic ethylene oxide-based block copolymers, degradable hydrophobic polyethers and degradable functionalized polyethers via boron-activated copolymerization of ethylene oxide monomers with carbon dioxide.

A method simply produces a narrowly distributed and high-purity polyalkylene glycol derivative having an amino group at an end without using a heavy metal catalyst. A method for producing a polyalkylene glycol derivative having an amino group at the end by reacting a compound represented by the general formula (V) with an alkylene oxide, then reacting a reaction product with an electrophile represented by the general formula (I), and deprotecting the obtained product without using a heavy metal:
R.sub.A.sup.3O(R.sub.A.sup.4O).sub.k−1R.sub.A.sup.4O.sup.−M.sup.+  (V) wherein R.sub.A.sup.3 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R.sub.A.sup.4 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; k represents an integer of 2 to 5; and M represents an alkali metal; ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b each independently represent a protective group of the amino group, or one of R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b represents H and the other represents a protective group of the amino group, or R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b bind to each other to form a cyclic protective group, and the protective group is deprotectable without using a heavy metal; R.sub.A.sup.2 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and X represents a leaving group.

A method simply produces a narrowly distributed and high-purity polyalkylene glycol derivative having an amino group at an end without using a heavy metal catalyst. A method for producing a polyalkylene glycol derivative having an amino group at the end by reacting a compound represented by the general formula (V) with an alkylene oxide, then reacting a reaction product with an electrophile represented by the general formula (I), and deprotecting the obtained product without using a heavy metal:
R.sub.A.sup.3O(R.sub.A.sup.4O).sub.k−1R.sub.A.sup.4O.sup.−M.sup.+  (V) wherein R.sub.A.sup.3 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R.sub.A.sup.4 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; k represents an integer of 2 to 5; and M represents an alkali metal; ##STR00001## wherein R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b each independently represent a protective group of the amino group, or one of R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b represents H and the other represents a protective group of the amino group, or R.sub.A.sup.1a and R.sub.A.sup.1b bind to each other to form a cyclic protective group, and the protective group is deprotectable without using a heavy metal; R.sub.A.sup.2 represents a linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and X represents a leaving group.

A polyoxyalkylene polymer including a main chain structure of a polyoxyalkylene and terminal structures bonded to ends of the main chain structure is provided. The terminal structures include a hydrolyzable silyl group and further include a terminal olefin group and/or an internal olefin group. The total number of the hydrolyzable silyl, terminal olefin, and internal olefin groups is more than 1.0 on average per terminal structure, and the ratio of the number of moles of the hydrolyzable silyl groups to the total number of moles of the hydrolyzable silyl, terminal olefin, and internal olefin groups is from 0.3 to 0.7.

A polyoxyalkylene polymer including a main chain structure of a polyoxyalkylene and terminal structures bonded to ends of the main chain structure is provided. The terminal structures include a hydrolyzable silyl group and further include a terminal olefin group and/or an internal olefin group. The total number of the hydrolyzable silyl, terminal olefin, and internal olefin groups is more than 1.0 on average per terminal structure, and the ratio of the number of moles of the hydrolyzable silyl groups to the total number of moles of the hydrolyzable silyl, terminal olefin, and internal olefin groups is from 0.3 to 0.7.

This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of a high molecular weight polyoxyalkylene polyether polyol by the continuous addition of starter (CAOS) process. This process enables a shorter cycle time while maintaining a low viscosity in high molecular weight polyoxyalkylene polyether polyols.

To provide a polyether polyol having a high degree of freedom in the design of a polyurethane foam, and capable of providing a polyol system solution excellent in storage stability.

A polyether polyol having a polyoxyalkylene chain consisting of oxyalkylene units, and having a degree of unsaturation of at most 0.020 meq/g, a hydroxy value of from 1 to 80 mgKOH/g, a content of oxyethylene units of from 0 to 50 mass %, and a content of ultra-high molecular weight components which have molecular weights of from 12 to 46 times the number average molecular weight of at most 1,000 mass ppm. The number average molecular weight is a molecular weight as calculated as polystyrene measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) method, and the content of ultra-high molecular weight components is a value measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using a charged aerosol detector (CAD).

To provide a polyether polyol having a high degree of freedom in the design of a polyurethane foam, and capable of providing a polyol system solution excellent in storage stability.

A polyether polyol having a polyoxyalkylene chain consisting of oxyalkylene units, and having a degree of unsaturation of at most 0.020 meq/g, a hydroxy value of from 1 to 80 mgKOH/g, a content of oxyethylene units of from 0 to 50 mass %, and a content of ultra-high molecular weight components which have molecular weights of from 12 to 46 times the number average molecular weight of at most 1,000 mass ppm. The number average molecular weight is a molecular weight as calculated as polystyrene measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) method, and the content of ultra-high molecular weight components is a value measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method using a charged aerosol detector (CAD).