The present invention relates to a method for producing a polyester polyol having a concentration of ether groups in the range from 9.0 mol/kg of polyester polyol to 22 mol/kg polyester polyol, characterized in that (i) in a first step (A) isophthalic acid, optionally in the form of a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester, and/or terephthalic acid, optionally in the form of a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl ester, is reacted with (B) oligoethylene glycol of the formula H(OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2).sub.nOH having a numerical average number of oxyethylene groups n in the range from 3.0 to 9.0, in the presence of at least one catalyst selected from the group made up of tin(II) salts, bismuth(II) salts, and titanium tetraalkoxylates, at a temperature in the range from 160 C. to 240 C., and at a pressure in the range from 1 to 1013 mbar, for a duration in the range from 7 to 100 hours, and (ii) in a second step the reaction mixture resulting from step (i) is reacted with (C) phthalic acid and/or phthalic acid hydride, the polyester polyols obtained according to said method, and to the use thereof for producing PUR/PIR hard foam materials.

The invention provides polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for the preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to closed-celled, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for their preparation. The foams are characterized by a fine uniform cell structure and little or no foam collapse. The foams are produced with a polyol premix composition which comprises a combination of a hydrohaloolefin blowing agent, a polyol, a silicone surfactant, and a non-amine catalyst used alone or in combination with an amine catalyst.

An embodiment of a closed-cell polymeric rigid foam may be made using a one-shot method and a reaction system that includes a hydrofluoroalkene physical blowing agent and a polyol mixture having an aminic polyol. The hydrofluoroalkene blowing agent has 3 to 5 carbon atoms and a boiling point between 10 C. and 40 C. at 1 atmosphere pressure. Embodiments of rigid foams may have high closed cell content and are particularly well suited for thermal insulation.

The instant invention provides an isocyanate trimerisation catalyst system, a precursor formulation, a process for trimerising isocyanates, rigid foams made therefrom, and a process for making such foams. A trimerisation catalyst system comprising (a) a phosphonium cation; and (b) an isocyanate-trimer inducing carboxylate anion; wherein said trimerisation catalyst system has a trimerisation activation temperature in the range of equal to or less than 73 C. is provided.

Insulating unit are disclosed which are prepared by a cavity-filling, fast-gelling rigid polyurethane foam based on a formulation comprising a polyol component which contains at least 5 weight percent of an amine-initiated polyols and 1.4 to 4 parts by weight of a catalyst package whereby the catalyst package contains at least one amine catalyst and the weight percent nitrogen present in the amine-initiated polyol to weight percent nitrogen present in the catalyst system is from 2 to 8. The formulation is injected into the cavity and the pressure in the cavity is subjected to reduced atmospheric pressure to achieve the rigid foam having a thermal conductivity of less than about 19 mW/mK at 10 C. average plate temperature.

The invention provides polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for the preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to closed-celled, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for their preparation. The foams are characterized by a fine uniform cell structure and little or no foam collapse. The foams are produced with a polyol premix composition which comprises a combination of a hydrohaloolefin blowing agent, a polyol, a silicone surfactant, and a non-amine catalyst used alone or in combination with an amine catalyst.

Polyisocyanurate foam-forming compositions, polyisocyanurate foams, insulated assemblies, and method of making thereof are provided. The polyisocyanurate foam-forming composition comprises an organic polyisocyanate and an isocyanate-reactive composition. The isocyanate-reactive composition comprises a polyether polyol or polyester polyol with a nominal hydroxyl functionality of at least 2.0, a blowing agent composition, a trimerization catalyst composition, and a surfactant. The blowing agent is present in an amount sufficient to produce a polyisocyanurate foam from the isocyanate-reactive composition that has a density of less than 1.8 lb/ft.sup.3 (28.8 kg/m.sup.3). The blowing agent composition comprises a hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon blend in an amount of at least 6% by weight and water in an amount less than 0.2% by weight. The trimerization catalyst composition comprises an alkali metal carboxylate or an alkaline metal carboxylate and a solvent that is not isocyanate-reactive.

The invention provides polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for the preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to open-celled, polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for their preparation. The foams are characterized by a fine uniform cell structure and little or no foam collapse. The foams are produced with a polyol premix composition which comprises a combination of a hydrohaloolefin blowing agent, a polyol, a silicone surfactant, and a sterically hindered amine catalyst.

The Invention relates to a process for modifying isocyanates, in which at least one monomeric organic isocyanate having an NCO functionality>1 is oligomerized in the presence of at least one spirocyclic ammonium salt having a cation of the formula I as catalysts for the isocyanate modification, where substituents X and Y in the N positions are identical or different, substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20-alkylene chains optionally interrupted by heteroatoms (0, N, S) and by aromatic rings. The invention further relates to the use of such a catalyst.

The invention provides polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams and methods for the preparation thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams having an open-cell, closed-cell or a combination of open and closed cell structure, and methods for their preparation. The foams are produced with a polyol premix composition which comprises a combination of a hydrohaloolefin blowing agent, a polyol and a catalyst which is an adduct of an amine and an organic acid.