Patent GB-926452-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to epoxide polymerisation catalysts
IPC: C08G65/26
Filed: 1961-06-07
Abstract: An epoxide polymerization catalyst is prepared by reacting 1 mole of an alkaline earth metal hexammoniate with from 0,3 to 1,0 mole of an olefin oxide which is free from ethylenic and acetylenic unsaturation and contains only carbon, hydrogen and a single oxirane oxygen atom bonded to adjacent carbon atoms, and from 0,2 to 0,8 mole of sulphone of the formula:  <FORM:0926452/III/1> wherein R1 to R6 represent hydrogen or an alkyl radical, provided that at least two of the groups R1 to R6 are always hydrogen and that R1 and R4 together with the carbon atoms alpha to the sulphonyl group and the sulphur of the sulphonyl group can represent a cycloaliphatic thiahydrocarbon nucleus containing four carbon atoms and one sulphur atom; said reaction being conducted in an excess of liquid ammonia; and subsequently evaporating from the resulting product mixture the excess liquid ammonia.  Specified olefin oxides have an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic nature.  After preparation the catalyst may be suspended or slurried in a dialkyl ether of an alkylene glycol or a saturated aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon.ALSO:Epoxy-hydrocarbons having a single vicinal epoxy group and which are free from acetylenic or olefinic unsaturation are polymerized in bulk, solution or suspension with from 0,02 to 10% by weight of one or more epoxide polymerization catalysts prepared by reacting 1 mole of an alkaline earth metal hexammoniate with from 0,3 to 1,0 mole of an olefin oxide which is free from ethylenic and acetylenic unsaturation and contains only carbon, hydrogen and a single oxirane oxygen atom bonded to adjacent carbon atoms, and from 0,2 to 0,8 mole of a sulphone of the formula:  <FORM:0926452/IV(a)/1> wherein R1 to R6 represent hydrogen or an alkyl radical, provided that at least two of the groups R1 to R6 are always hydrogen and that R1 and R4 together with the carbon atoms alpha to the sulphonyl group and the sulphur of the sulphonyl group can represent a cycloaliphatic thiahydrocarbon nucleus containing four carbon atoms and one sulphur atom; said reaction being conducted in an excess of liquid ammonia; and subsequently evaporating from the resulting product mixture the excess liquid ammonia.  Specified olefin oxides have an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic nature. After preparation the catalyst may be suspended or slurried in a dialkyl ether of an alkylene glycol or a saturated aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon.  The examples relate to the polymerization and copolymerization of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and 1,2-epoxybutane. Granular polymers may be prepared and the products may be formed into films.ALSO:An epoxide polymerization catalyst is prepared by reacting 1 mole of an alkaline earth metal hexammoniate with from 0.3 to 1.0 mole of an olefin oxide which is free from ethylenic and acetylenic unsaturation and contains only carbon, hydrogen and a single oxirane oxygen atom bonded to adjacent carbon atoms, and from 0.2 to 0.8 mole of a sulphone of the formula: <FORM:0926452/IV(a)/1> wherein R1 to R6 represent hydrogen or an alkyl radical, provided that at least two of the groups R1 to R6 are always hydrogen and that R1 and R4 together with the carbon atoms alpha to the sulphonyl group and the sulphur of the sulphonyl group can represent a cycloaliphatic thiahydrocarbon nucleus containing four carbon atoms and one sulphur atom; said reaction being conducted in an excess of liquid ammonia; and subsequently evaporating from the resulting product mixture the excess liquid ammonia.  Specified olefin oxides have an aliphatic cycloaliphatic or aromatic nature.  After preparation the catalyst may be suspended or slurried in a dialkyl ether of an alkylene glycol or a saturated aliphatic or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon.