Method for fabricating polyols

Abstract

A high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst, a method for fabricating the same, and applications of the same are disclosed. An organic complexing ligand, which is formed via mixing fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates, is used to generate a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst. The high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst includes at least one double-metal-cyanide compound, at least one organic complexing ligand, and an optional functionalized polymer. The double-metal-cyanide catalyst of the present invention has a higher activity than the conventional double-metal-cyanide catalysts. The polyols generated by the present invention has an insignificant amount of high-molecular-weight compounds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for fabricating polyols, comprising a step:
 providing a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst comprising at least one double-metal-cyanide compound and at least one organic complexing ligand including a fatty alcohol containing 2-7 carbon atoms and an alicyclic carbonate, wherein a concentration of said fatty alcohol in said organic complexing ligand is 2-98 mole %, and wherein said alicyclic carbonate has a structural formula expressed by Equation (I):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R and R′ are identical or different, and wherein each of R and R′ is selected from a group including hydrogen atoms, saturated alkyl groups each containing 1-20 carbon atoms, cyclic alkyl groups, hydroxyl groups, vinyl groups, and phenyl groups, to enable a polyaddition reaction of at least one alkylene oxide and at least one starter compound having active hydrogen to generate polyols. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 1 , wherein in said polyaddition reaction, monomers of a single kind of alkylene oxide, monomers of 2-3 kinds of alkylene oxides arranged arbitrarily, or monomers of 2-3 kinds of alkylene oxides arranged blockwise are alkoxylated to form polyether chains of said polyols. 
     
     
         3 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 1 , wherein said alkylene oxide is selected from a group including ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and mixtures thereof, and wherein said starter compound having active hydrogen is a compound containing 1-8 hydroxyl groups and having an average molecular weight of 18-2000. 
     
     
         4 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 3 , wherein said starter compound having active hydrogen is selected from a group including polyoxypropylene polyols, polyoxyethylene polyols, poly(tetramethylene ether) glycols, glycerol, propoxylated glycerols, propylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, alkoxylated allylic alcohols, bisphenol A, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, sucrose, degraded starch, Mannich polyols, water, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyaddition reaction is undertaken at a temperature of 25-200° C. and a pressure of 0.0001-20 bar. 
     
     
         6 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of said high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst in said polyaddition reaction is 0.0005-1 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . The method for fabricating polyols according to  claim 1 , wherein said polyol contains 1-8 hydroxyl groups, and wherein a range of molecular weights of said polyols is 500-100000 g/mole.