Methods for preparing water soluble, non-peptidic polymers carrying carboxyl functional groups, particularly carboxylic acid functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymers are disclosed, as are the products of these methods. In general, an ester reagent R(C═O)OR′, wherein R′ is a tertiary group and R comprises a functional group X, is reacted with a water soluble, non-peptidic polymer POLY-Y, where Y is a functional group which reacts with X to form a covalent bond, to form a tertiary ester of the polymer, which is then treated with a strong base in aqueous solution, to form a carboxylate salt of the polymer. Typically, this carboxylate salt is then treated with an inorganic acid in aqueous solution, to convert the carboxylate salt to a carboxylic acid, thereby forming a carboxylic acid functionalized polymer.

Disclosed in the present invention is a polyether polyol refining method, comprising (1) neutralising or diluting crude polyether polyol to obtain a mixed solution; (2) flowing the mixed solution through a hydrophilic medium to aggregate same into a first density phase liquid and a second density phase liquid, the first density phase liquid being an aqueous solution containing alkaline metal ions and/or alkaline earth metal ions, and the second density phase liquid being polyether polyol; and (3) allowing the first density phase liquid to settle and separating same from the second density phase liquid to obtain refined polyether polyol. In the present refining method, using the hydrophilic medium for one-step removal of the alkaline ions and water in the polyether polyol simplifies the treatment steps, increases treatment efficiency, and can prevent polyether polyol loss; the obtained polyether polyol has low alkaline ion content and little odour. Also disclosed in the present invention is a polyether polyol refining apparatus, comprising a mixing unit and a separating unit, and being capable of refining polyether polyol with low alkaline ion content and little odour.

The invention is related to a method for preparing polyether polyols, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a crude polyether polyols and a base catalyst; b) mixing the crude polyether polyols mixture with an acid thereby providing a neutralized polyether polyols mixture; c) removing water from the neutralized polyether polyols mixture, thereby providing a dehydrated neutralized polyether polyols mixture comprising polyether polyols and a suspension of the crystallized salts suspended in the polyether polyols; d) separating the polyether polyols from the crystallized salt by filtration resulting in a filtration cake comprising crystallized salts and remaining polyether polyols around the crystals; e) removing polyether polyols from the filter, leaving a filtration cake; f) redissolving the filtration cake obtaining a mixture of a salt solution and the remaining polyether polyols; and separating and removing the remaining polyether polyols from the salt solution.

The invention is related to a method for preparing polyether polyols, wherein the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a crude polyether polyols and a base catalyst; b) mixing the crude polyether polyols mixture with an acid thereby providing a neutralized polyether polyols mixture; c) removing water from the neutralized polyether polyols mixture, thereby providing a dehydrated neutralized polyether polyols mixture comprising polyether polyols and a suspension of the crystallized salts suspended in the polyether polyols; d) separating the polyether polyols from the crystallized salt by filtration resulting in a filtration cake comprising crystallized salts and remaining polyether polyols around the crystals; e) removing polyether polyols from the filter, leaving a filtration cake; f) redissolving the filtration cake obtaining a mixture of a salt solution and the remaining polyether polyols; and separating and removing the remaining polyether polyols from the salt solution.

Disclosed are methods for purifying polyols containing oxyalkylene units that is an alkali metal catalyzed alkoxylation reaction product of an alkylene oxide and an H-functional starter. The methods include neutralizing the alkali metal ions with an aqueous solution comprising water and sulfuric acid, in which: (i) the sulfuric acid is present in an amount of no more than 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution, and (ii) the sulfuric acid is used in an amount of 2% to 10% more than the theoretical amount necessary to neutralize all of the alkali metal ions present. The methods can produce polyols having a low content of 2-methyl-2-pentenal.

Disclosed are methods for purifying polyols containing oxyalkylene units that is an alkali metal catalyzed alkoxylation reaction product of an alkylene oxide and an H-functional starter. The methods include neutralizing the alkali metal ions with an aqueous solution comprising water and sulfuric acid, in which: (i) the sulfuric acid is present in an amount of no more than 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous solution, and (ii) the sulfuric acid is used in an amount of 2% to 10% more than the theoretical amount necessary to neutralize all of the alkali metal ions present. The methods can produce polyols having a low content of 2-methyl-2-pentenal.

Alkoxylates are described that are obtainable by (i) in a first step reacting a) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of phenols that are substituted with one substituent, wherein the one substituent is in the ortho-, meta- or para-position to the OH group of the phenol and is selected from the group consisting of OH, R8, OR8, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO.sub.2 or COOR9, wherein R8 is a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 to 4 C-atoms and R9 is a linear or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 22 C-atoms or a linear or branched mono- or polyunsaturated alkenyl group comprising 2 to 22 C-atoms with b) an aryl-substituted linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkyl alcohol or an aryl-substituted linear or branched C.sub.2- or C.sub.3-alkene, and (ii) in a second step alkoxylating the reaction product of the first step and (iii) in an optional third step reacting the reaction product of step (ii) with an alkylating agent providing a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl group, with a carboxymethylating agent, with a sulfating agent, with a phosphating agent or with a sulfosuccinating agent.

These alkoxylates may advantageously be used as anti-redeposition agents in laundry applications.

Alkoxylates are described that are obtainable by (i) in a first step reacting a) one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of phenols that are substituted with one substituent, wherein the one substituent is in the ortho-, meta- or para-position to the OH group of the phenol and is selected from the group consisting of OH, R8, OR8, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO.sub.2 or COOR9, wherein R8 is a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 to 4 C-atoms and R9 is a linear or branched alkyl group comprising 1 to 22 C-atoms or a linear or branched mono- or polyunsaturated alkenyl group comprising 2 to 22 C-atoms with b) an aryl-substituted linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkyl alcohol or an aryl-substituted linear or branched C.sub.2- or C.sub.3-alkene, and (ii) in a second step alkoxylating the reaction product of the first step and (iii) in an optional third step reacting the reaction product of step (ii) with an alkylating agent providing a C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl group, with a carboxymethylating agent, with a sulfating agent, with a phosphating agent or with a sulfosuccinating agent.

These alkoxylates may advantageously be used as anti-redeposition agents in laundry applications.

A process for preparing polyol, wherein, in a first process stage, a diol is prepared by a process comprising: (1-i) adding alkylene oxide and carbon dioxide onto an H-functional starter substance in the presence of a catalyst to obtain polyethercarbonate polyol and a cyclic carbonate, (1-ii) separating the cyclic carbonate from the resulting reaction mixture from step (1-i), (1-iii) hydrolyzing the cyclic carbonate separated from step (1-ii) to carbon dioxide and diol, and (1-iv) optionally purifying the diol resulting from step (1-iii) by distillation.

A process for preparing polyol, wherein, in a first process stage, a diol is prepared by a process comprising: (1-i) adding alkylene oxide and carbon dioxide onto an H-functional starter substance in the presence of a catalyst to obtain polyethercarbonate polyol and a cyclic carbonate, (1-ii) separating the cyclic carbonate from the resulting reaction mixture from step (1-i), (1-iii) hydrolyzing the cyclic carbonate separated from step (1-ii) to carbon dioxide and diol, and (1-iv) optionally purifying the diol resulting from step (1-iii) by distillation.