Zinc catalyst/additive system for the polymerization of epoxide monomers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289380-A1
Application number	US-201415035407-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention concerns a catalyst formulation comprising: (a) a Zn catalyst comprising a Zn compound having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or more polyols, and (b) a catalyst additive comprising a metal compound (i) having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or monohydric alcohol wherein the metal is selected from: (I) group 2 metals, preferably Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba, more preferably Mg, (II) Li, and (III) combinations of at least two metals selected from (I) and (II). The present invention also relates to a process for polymerizing an epoxide monomer, preferably ethylene oxide, comprising carrying out the process in the presence of the catalyst formulation.

First claim

1 . A catalyst formulation comprising:
(a) a Zn catalyst comprising a Zn compound having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or more polyols, and (b) a catalyst additive comprising a metal compound (i) having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or monohydric alcohol wherein the metal is selected from:
(I) group 2 metals,
(II) Li, and
(III) combinations of at least two metals selected from (I) and (II).

2 . The catalyst formulation of claim 1 wherein the Zn compound of the Zn catalyst (a) is selected from:
(a1) a Zn alcoholate of one or more polyols, and
(a2) a heteroleptic Zn alcoholate of one or more polyols and one or more monohydric alcohols and/or water.

3 . The catalyst formulation of claim 2 wherein the Zn catalyst (a) comprises a Zn alcoholate (a1) of one or more polyols and a Zn alcoholate (a3) of one or more monohydric alcohols.

4 . The catalyst formulation of claim 1 wherein the Zn catalyst (a) comprises a Zn compound having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or more diols.

5 . The catalyst formulation of claim 2 wherein the Zn compound of the Zn catalyst (a) is a heteroleptic Zn alcoholate (a2) of one or more polyols and one or more monohydric alcohols selected from monohydric aliphatic alcohols including monohydric halosubstituted aliphatic alcohols.

6 . The catalyst formulation of claim 5 wherein the Zn compound of the Zn catalyst (a) is a heteroleptic Zn alcoholate (a2) of 1,4-butanediol and ethanol.

7 . The catalyst formulation of claim 1 wherein the catalyst additive (b) comprises a metal compound (i) having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or monohydric aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or mixed aliphatic/cycloaliphatic alcohols.

8 . The catalyst formulation of claim 1 wherein the metal compound (i) of the catalyst additive (b) is selected from:
(b1) a metal alcoholate of one or more monohydric alcohols, and
(b2) a heteroleptic metal complex having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or more monohydric alcohols and non-alcoholate ligand(s).

9 . The catalyst formulation of claim 1 wherein the catalyst additive additionally comprises (ii) a monohydric alcohol.

10 .- 13 . (canceled)

14 . A process for polymerizing an epoxide monomer comprising carrying out the process in the presence of a catalyst formulation comprising:
(a) a Zn catalyst comprising a Zn compound having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or more polyols, and (b) a catalyst additive comprising a metal compound (i) having alcoholate ligand(s) derived from one or monohydric alcohol wherein the metal is selected from:
(I) group 2 metals,
(II) Li, and
(III) combinations of at least two metals selected from (I) and (II).

15 . The process of claim 14 wherein a poly(olefin oxide) having a weight average molecular weight of at least 30,000 is prepared.

16 . The process of claim 14 wherein a poly(ethylene oxide) is prepared.

17 . The process of claim 15 wherein a poly(ethylene oxide) is prepared.

Assignees

• Dow Global Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Davis Anna V
• Nickias Peter N

Classifications

• C08G65/269

  Mixed catalyst systems, i.e. containing more than one reactive component or catalysts formed in-situ · CPC title

• C08G65/2651

  Alkaline earth metals or compounds thereof · CPC title

• C08G65/2648

  Alkali metals or compounds thereof · CPC title

• C08G65/12 Primary

  containing organo-metallic compounds or metal hydrides · CPC title

• C08G65/10 Primary

  characterised by the catalysts used · CPC title