Patent ID: 8865945

Claim:
A process for the preparation of polyols comprising (1) base-catalysed addition of (a) one or more alkylene oxides, wherein the proportion of ethylene oxide in the alkylene oxides is at least 10 weight %, based on 100 weight % of the alkylene oxides, to (b) one or more polyfunctional starter compounds having Zerewitinoff-active hydrogen atoms, in the presence of (c) one or more catalysts selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal hydrides, alkaline earth metal hydrides, alkali metal carboxylates, alkaline earth metal carboxylates and alkaline earth hydroxides, in which the concentrations of said catalysts, based on the amount of end product, is from 0.004 to 0.5 weight %, (2) neutralizing the alkaline polymerisation-active centers of the crude alkylene oxide addition product by adding sulfuric acid in such a manner that, of from 66 mol % to 100 mol % of the acid used, only the first dissociation stage of sulfuric acid is effective for neutralization of the amount of catalyst contained in the crude polymer, wherein the resultant polyols are not filtered.