Polycarbonate polyols are made by copolymerizing carbon dioxide and an alkylene oxide in the presence of a starter compound and a carbonate catalyst. The process is operated in semi-batch mode by combining starter, catalyst and a small amount of alkylene oxide in a reaction vessel, pressurizing the vessel with carbon dioxide, initiating polymerization, and then feeding both carbon dioxide and alkylene oxide to the vessel under polymerization conditions without removal of product until the feeds are completed.

A copolymerized polycarbonate resin having, at least, a constituent unit (A) and a constituent unit (B). The constituent unit (A) is derived from a dihydroxy compound. The carbonate constituent unit (B) is derived from a polyoxyalkylene glycol. A weight ratio of the constituent unit (B) derived from a polyoxyalkylene glycol to a weight of the copolymerized polycarbonate resin is preferably more than 20 wt % and 99 wt % or less.

In one aspect, the present invention encompasses blends of structurally different polycarbonate polyols, resulting polyurethanes derived from such blends of polyols, methods of making such polyurethane compositions, and coatings and adhesives derived from such polyurethane compositions.

An apparatus and methods for using coatings for metal applications are disclosed. According to one embodiment, an article comprises a cured polymeric film having a first reaction product of a cationic photoinitiator and a compound suitable for cationic polymerization. The article has a second reaction product of a free-radical photoinitiator and a compound suitable for free-radical polymerization; The article has a metal substrate, wherein the cured polymeric film coats the metal substrate.

A method for synthesizing cyclic carbonate monomers using carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) is provided. The method also includes combining reagents to synthesize the cyclic carbonate monomer, the reagents including a substrate that is a 1,X-diol, where X is between 2 and 5, a base that is a tertiary amine, a promoter that is a multidentate, bis-tertiary amine base where nitrogens are separated by 2 to 4 carbon atoms, a solvent, and CO.sub.2.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a process includes introducing a mixture comprising polypropylene carbonate (PPC) polyol, carbon dioxide, propylene oxide, and at least one dibasic ester to a quenching vessel to separate the PPC polyol from the carbon dioxide and the propylene oxide; introducing additional dibasic ester to the separation vessel, thereby separating the carbon dioxide from the propylene oxide and the dibasic ester such that a mixture of propylene oxide and the dibasic ester is formed; and introducing the mixture of propylene oxide and the dibasic ester to a recovery vessel, wherein the propylene oxide is separated from the dibasic ester in the recovery vessel.

A process for continuous production of polyether carbonate polyols by the addition of alkylene oxide and carbon dioxide in the presence of a DMC catalyst or a metal complex catalyst based on the metals cobalt and/or zinc, onto an H-functional starter substance is provided. Wherein (γ) the H-functional starter substance, alkylene oxide and catalyst are continuously metered into the reaction during the addition and the resulting reaction mixture is continuously discharged from the reactor, wherein (i) before step (γ), a suspension of catalyst in suspension medium and/or H-functional starter substance in the reactor is adjusted to a temperature T.sub.1 ranging from 100° C. to 150° C., wherein T.sub.1 is at least 10% above a temperature T.sub.2 and T.sub.2 is a temperature ranging from 50° C. to 135° C., and (ii) from commencement of the addition of alkylene oxide in step (γ) the temperature is continuously reduced to the temperature T.sub.2.

In one aspect, the present disclosure encompasses polymerization systems for the copolymerization of CO.sub.2 and epoxides comprising 1) a catalyst including a metal coordination compound having a permanent ligand set and at least one ligand that is a polymerization initiator, and 2) a chain transfer agent having two or more sites that can initiate polymerization. In a second aspect, the present disclosure encompasses methods for the synthesis of polycarbonate polyols using the inventive polymerization systems. In a third aspect, the present disclosure encompasses polycarbonate polyol compositions characterized in that the polymer chains have a high percentage of —OH end groups and a high percentage of carbonate linkages. The compositions are further characterized in that they contain polymer chains having an embedded polyfunctional moiety linked to a plurality of individual polycarbonate chains.

A method for preparing a polycarbonate ester includes feeding a monomer mixture containing (i) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds of the following Formulae 1 and 3; (ii) a compound of the following Formula 2; and (iii) a 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitol to a polycondensation reactor and allowing the monomers and the 1,4:3,6-dianhydrohexitol to react to prepare the polycarbontate ester. The prepared polycarbonate ester has improved mechanical properties including tensile strength and impact strength: ##STR00001##

A water-containing urethane resin composition that is produced using a biomass raw material and excellent in oleic acid resistance, texture, and liquid mixture stability. A urethane resin composition including: a urethane resin (A) having an anionic group and a nonionic group and produced using as a raw material a polycarbonate polyol (a1) produced using biomass-derived decanediol as a raw material; a nonionic emulsifier (B); and water (C). A leather sheet in which a coagulated product of the urethane resin composition is present in a fibrous substrate. Both the urethane resin (A) and the nonionic emulsifier (B) preferably have an oxyethylene group and an oxypropylene group.