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Production of polyether polyols using caesium as catalyst
Author(s) -
de Lucas Antonio,
Rodríguez Lourdes,
PérezCollado Mario,
Sánchez Paula
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.907
Subject(s) - degree of unsaturation , potassium hydroxide , catalysis , polyol , caesium , chemistry , potassium , hydroxide , organic chemistry , polyurethane
An alternative catalyst to the traditional KOH was studied for preparation of polyols, having high molecular weight (about 6 000 g mol −1 ) and low unsaturation content. KOH catalyst is useful until the equivalent weight of the polyol reaches about 1 000 g mol −1 , at which point an excess of allylic terminal unsaturation starts to develop. Polyols were synthesised using caesium and potassium hydroxide, at different temperatures and catalyst concentrations. Both the unsaturation content of the final polyol and the synthesis time decreased using caesium hydroxide instead of potassium hydroxide under the same synthesis conditions. The relationship to temperature and catalyst concentration was also studied. GPC analyses showed an additional small peak in the product, attributed to the allyl adduct, whose intensity was greater when potassium hydroxide was used as catalyst. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry