Novel polyurethane curatives

Abstract

A class of alkanol amine ligands reacted with bismuth carboxylates lends unique curability properties to isocyanate and polyols for production of polyurethane for CASE applications, including growing demand for polyurethane spray-foam. The amino-alcohol ligand, when associated with bismuth neodecanoate, offers improved moisture and solvent resistance during B-side (polyol) storage, cure rates analogous to tin-based curatives, and overall good final physical properties of the cured polyurethane.

1 . A bismuth-based catalyst comprising 1,1′,1″,1′″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[2-propanol] neodecanoate as a ligand and bismuth carboxylate. 
     
     
         2 . The catalyst of  claim 1  where the catalyst is a polyurethane catalyst. 
     
     
         3 . A bismuth catalyst comprising 2,2′,2″,2′″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[ethanol] neodecanoate and bismuth carboxylate. 
     
     
         4 . The catalyst of  claim 3  where the catalyst is a polyurethane catalyst. 
     
     
         5 . A bismuth catalyst comprising a mixture of 1,1′,1″,1″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[2-propanol] neodecanoate, 2,2′,2″,2′″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[ethanol] neodecanoate and bismuth carboxylate. 
     
     
         6 . The catalyst of  claim 5  where the catalyst is a polyurethane catalyst. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A flexible, semi-flexible or rigid polyurethane foam formed by the catalytic reaction of a polyisocyanate, a polyol, and a bismuth catalyst, wherein the bismuth catalyst comprises 1,1′,1″,1′″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[2-propanol] neodecanoate with bismuth carboxylate. 
     
     
         9 . A flexible, semi-flexible or rigid polyurethane foam formed by the catalytic reaction of a polyisocyanate, a polyol, and a bismuth catalyst, wherein the bismuth catalyst comprises 2,2′,2″,2″-(1,2-ethanediyldinitrilo)tetrakis[ethanol] neodecanoate with bismuth carboxylate. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible, semi-flexible or rigid polyurethane foam of  claim 8 , wherein the bismuth catalyst employed in the reaction mixture is in an amount from 0.05 to 5 parts per hundred parts polyol by weight. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible, semi-flexible or rigid polyurethane foam of  claim 8 , wherein the carboxylate is derived from a C 4-15  aliphatic carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A process for the production of a polyurethane foam, said process comprising a reaction between a polyisocyanate and a polyol and a bismuth carboxylate catalyst also having alkanolamine ligands, wherein the bismuth catalyst is BiCAT 8840 or BiCAT 8842 and wherein the molar ratio of bismuth:alkanolamine ligand is about 0.1:2.0. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 14  wherein the polyol has a molecular weight of about 1000 to 10,000. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 14  wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of about 0.01 to 1.5 weight percent, based on the weight of the reactants, of the bismuth salt. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 14  wherein the reaction is performed in the presence of about 0.01 to 1.5 weight percent, based on the weight of the reactants, of the bismuth salt of a carboxylic acid having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms in the molecule. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the bismuth salt is BiCAT 8840. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the bismuth salt is BiCAT 8842. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A polyurethane catalyst produced by the reaction between a bismuth carboxylate with an alkanolamine and a polyol, wherein the alkanolamine is selected from N-methyldiethanolamine, N-methylethanol amine, diethanolamine diisopropanolamine, N,N-diethylethanolamine, N,N-dimethyl ethanolamine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-dimethylamino-2-propanol, 2-(((2-dimethylamino)ethyl)methylamine)ethanol, 2-(butylamino)ethanol, 2-(ethylamino)ethanol, 2-(methylamino)ethanol, 1-amino-2-propanol, 3-amino-1-propanol, tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine, and ethylenedinitrilo-tetra-2-propanol. 
     
     
         23 . The polyurethane catalyst of  claim 22 , wherein polyol is selected from polyethylene glycols, polypropylene glycols and polybutylene ether glycols. 
     
     
         24 . The polyurethane catalyst of  claim 22 , wherein the carboxylate has 1 to 19 carbon atoms and is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl groups. 
     
     
         25 . The polyurethane catalyst of  claim 22 , wherein the bismuth carboxylate is bismuth neodecanoate. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)