Processes are described for producing an aromatic diamine-initiated polyether polyol having a measured OH number of 300 to 500 mg KOH/g and a viscosity at 25° C. of 5000 to 50,000 mPas. The processes include a first alkoxylation step in which an alkylene oxide consisting essentially of propylene oxide is reacted with a starter consisting essentially of aromatic diamine at a molar ratio of propylene oxide to aromatic diamine of 1.4:1 to 2.0:1 to form an alkoxylated product; and a second alkoxylation step in which an alkylene oxide consisting essentially of propylene oxide is reacted with the alkoxylated product, in the presence of an added catalyst, until the ratio of moles of propylene oxide added in the process to the moles of aromatic diamine added in the process is 4:1 to 9:1.

Surfactants capable of releasing and/or dissolving polymers to form water-soluble or water-dispersible polymer solutions are disclosed. In addition, polymer compositions containing a water-in-oil emulsion comprising the surfactant are provided and can be used, for example, in methods of dissolving a polymer. Also disclosed are detergent compositions and methods of cleaning articles and/or membranes using the surfactants herein. These surfactants and polymer compositions can be used in various industries including for water clarification, papermaking, sewage and industrial water treatment, drilling mud stabilizers, and enhanced oil recovery.

A polyalkylene ether glycol composition containing a nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the nitrogen-containing compound constitutes 0.2 to 40 mass ppm of the polyalkylene ether glycol in terms of nitrogen atoms. A method for producing the polyalkylene ether glycol composition through a purification step of decreasing the amount of acetal in the polyalkylene ether glycol composition.

A curable composition includes a condensation product having a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 or less and a curing agent, the condensation product being obtained by hydrolysis and condensation of a first and secondsilane compound in the presence of a neutral salt catalyst. The condensation product also has a ratio Y/X of 0.2 or less, wherein X is the number of moles of an OR.sup.3 group directly bonded to silicon atoms of the first and second silane compounds, and Y is the number of moles of an OR.sup.3 group directly bonded to a silicon atom of the condensation product. The first silane compound is represented by R.sup.1—(SiR.sup.2.sub.a(OR.sup.3).sub.3-a), and the second silane compound is represented by R.sup.4—(SiR.sup.2.sub.a(OR.sup.3).sub.3-a).

Processes are described for producing an aromatic diamine-initiated polyether polyol having a measured OH number of 300 to 500 mg KOH/g and a viscosity at 25° C. of 5000 to 50,000 mPas. The processes include a first alkoxylation step in which an alkylene oxide consisting essentially of propylene oxide is reacted with a starter consisting essentially of aromatic diamine at a molar ratio of propylene oxide to aromatic diamine of 1.4:1 to 2.0:1 to form an alkoxylated product; and a second alkoxylation step in which an alkylene oxide consisting essentially of propylene oxide is reacted with the alkoxylated product, in the presence of an added catalyst, until the ratio of moles of propylene oxide added in the process to the moles of aromatic diamine added in the process is 4:1 to 9:1.

A process for the conversion of methanol to olefins includes the steps of passing a feedstock comprising methanol to a fluidized bed reactor in contact with a catalyst to produce an olefin product, wherein the process at least partially deactivates the catalyst to form an at least partially deactivated catalyst; and passing spent catalyst from said at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerator for regeneration thereby forming regenerated catalyst and returning activated catalyst from said regenerated catalyst to said reactor via a regenerated catalyst line. An oxygen volume content in the gas-phase component at the outlet of the regenerated catalyst pipeline is controlled to be less than 0.1 percent, preferably less than 0.05% and more preferably less than 0.01% on the regenerated catalyst pipeline.

A liquid laundry additive is provided, comprising a cleaning booster, wherein the cleaning booster is of formula (I), wherein R.sup.1 is a C.sub.1-4 alkylidene group; wherein each occurrence of R.sup.2 is independently selected from a C.sub.2-5 alkylene oxide group; and wherein the sum v+x+y+z is >40.

Surfactants capable of releasing and/or dissolving polymers to form water-soluble or water-dispersible polymer solutions are disclosed. In addition, polymer compositions containing a water-in-oil emulsion comprising the surfactant are provided and can be used, for example, in methods of dissolving a polymer. Also disclosed are detergent compositions and methods of cleaning articles and/or membranes using the surfactants herein. These surfactants and polymer compositions can be used in various industries including for water clarification, papermaking, sewage and industrial water treatment, drilling mud stabilizers, and enhanced oil recovery.

Methods of removing amine contaminants from equipment used in the production of polyether polyols. These methods include: (a) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of a first acid; (b) discharging the aqueous solution of the first acid from the equipment; (c) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of an acidic metal conditioner; (d) discharging the aqueous solution of the acidic metal conditioner from the equipment; (e) contacting the equipment with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide; and (f) discharging the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide from the equipment.

A flame-retardant polyether polyol is provided, including a Mannich base and an epoxide. The epoxide is selected from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The Mannich base has a structure represented by a formula (I). In the Mannich base, flame-retardant groups, i.e., halogens are introduced at the second, fourth and sixth positions of a phenyl group, and flame-retardant elements, i.e., halogens and nitrogen are introduced into synthesized polyether polyol. The amount of active hydrogen in the Mannich base is small so that side reactions during synthesis of the polyether polyol are reduced, and the viscosity of the polyether polyol is lowered. A flame-retardant polyurethane material is also provided, synthesized from raw materials comprising the above-mentioned flame-retardant polyether polyol and an isocyanate. Due to autocatalytic performance of tertiary amido in the flame-retardant polyether polyol, use of a catalyst can be reduced and even avoided during the synthesis.