Patent ID: 8507613

Claim:
A process for alkoxylating polymers comprising: (a) reacting a first polymer comprising at least one monomer unit having NH groups and optionally NH 2 groups, wherein the first polymer has a molecular weight M w of at least 500 g/mol, with alkylene oxide in a reaction mixture comprising a solvent until the average degree of alkoxylation of each NH group and each optional NH 2 group, calculated as two NH groups, is from 0.75 to 1.25, to obtain a first reaction mixture; (b) adding a second polymer of formula wherein R is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, each R′ is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or hydrogen, each n is independently from 1 to 5 and m is from 5 to 40, to the first reaction mixture to obtain a second reaction mixture; (c) at least partially removing the solvent from the second reaction mixture to obtain a third reaction mixture; and (d) further reacting the third reaction mixture with alkylene oxide at a given temperature until the average degree of alkoxylation of each NH group and each optional NH 2 group, calculated as two NH groups, of the first polymer is from 2 to 40.