Patent ID: 6869543

Claim:
A process for the production of short chain polyols comprising i) contacting an amine with a first alkylene oxide, wherein the amount of alkylene oxide contacted with the amine is between 5 and 30% of the total amount of alkylene oxide to be added to the amine, ii) adding from about 0.001 to 0.1 wt. % based on the weight of the finished polyol of an alkali metal hydroxide catalyst, iii) contacting the amine with the remaining amount of the first alkylene oxide and then a second alkylene oxide, iv) upon completion of the epoxidation, adding a hydroxy carboxylic acid to the epoxidized mixture, wherein the first alkylene oxide is a block of ethylene oxide and the second alkylene oxide is block of propylene oxide, wherein the amount of ethylene oxide used is about 20-40%, based on the total amount of alkylene oxide to be added to the amine, and wherein the amount of propylene oxide used is about 60-80%, based on the total amount of alkylene oxide to be added to the amine.