Abstract: Titanium or vanadium zeolite catalysts are prepared by reacting a titanium or vanadium compound, a silicon source, a templating agent, and a polyol at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a molecular sieve. The catalyst is useful in olefin epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Titanium or vanadium zeolite catalysts are prepared by reacting a titanium or vanadium compound, a silicon source, a templating agent, a hydrocarbon, and a surfactant at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a molecular sieve. The catalyst is useful in olefin epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the epoxidation of an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a transition metal zeolite, and a noble metal catalyst comprising a noble metal and an ion-exchange resin. The process is highly productive and selective in making epoxides. A noble metal catalyst comprising a cation-exchanged resin further improves the productivity and/or the selectivity of the process.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the epoxidation of an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a transition metal zeolite and a polymer-encapsulated noble metal catalyst. The noble metal catalyst comprises a noble metal and an ion-exchange resin. The process using the polymer-encapsulated noble metal catalyst gives higher epoxide productivity than a process that uses a noble metal catalyst which is not encapsulated by a polymer.

Abstract: Polymer-encapsulated ion-exchange resins are disclosed. The resins are useful in adsorption, catalysis, and other applications. Catalysts comprising a polymer-encapsulated combination of an ion-exchange resin and a transition metal are also disclosed. The catalysts are useful in hydrogenation, oxidation, hydroformylation, polymerization, and other valuable processes. Certain of the polymer-encapsulated catalysts enhance the productivity in the process for producing hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: Ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyurethane compositions are provided which are made by reacting an isocyanate with an ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyol that is made by co-polymerizing an alkylene oxide, an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride and a hydroxy functional compound and which has an ultra-low level of unsaturation. The inventive ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyurethane compositions may find use in or as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and the like.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for oxidation reactions are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a titanium zeolite, a transition metal, and a polymer, wherein at least one of the titanium zeolite or transition metal is encapsulated within a thin layer of the polymer. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions in a variety of important oxidation processes, including propylene epoxidation. The invention includes a process which comprises oxidizing an organic compound in the presence of hydrogen, oxygen, and the catalyst, wherein the transition metal catalyzes formation of hydrogen peroxide in situ.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for epoxidizing olefins are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a vinylpyridine polymer and a titanium zeolite. Preferably, the vinylpyridine polymer encapsulates the titanium zeolite. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they convert olefins to epoxides in good yields with high selectivity. Surprisingly, ring-opening reactions that form glycol or glycol ether by-products are minimized by using the vinylpyridine polymer-containing catalysts. The catalysts are valuable for making propylene oxide from propylene and hydrogen peroxide. Vinylpyridine polymer-encapsulated transition metals and their use to produce hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen is also disclosed.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for oxidation reactions are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a polymer-encapsulated titanium zeolite. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions in a variety of important oxidation processes. The invention includes a process which comprises oxidizing an organic compound in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a polymer-encapsulated titanium zeolite. In one example, the organic compound is propylene and the reaction product is propylene oxide.

Abstract: A process for making hydrogen peroxide directly from hydrogen and oxygen is disclosed. The process comprises reacting the gases in a solvent in the presence of a catalyst comprising a polymer-encapsulated transition metal. Polymer-encapsulated transition metal catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions to hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for oxidation reactions are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a titanium zeolite, a transition metal, and a polymer, wherein at least one of the titanium zeolite or transition metal is encapsulated within a thin layer of the polymer. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions in a variety of important oxidation processes, including propylene epoxidation. The invention includes a process which comprises oxidizing an organic compound in the presence of hydrogen, oxygen, and the catalyst, wherein the transition metal catalyzes formation of hydrogen peroxide in situ.

Abstract: Catalysts useful for oxidation reactions are disclosed. The catalysts comprise a polymer-encapsulated titanium zeolite. The catalysts are easy to prepare and use, they are easy to recover and reuse, and they provide good conversions in a variety of important oxidation processes. The invention includes a process which comprises oxidizing an organic compound in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and a polymer-encapsulated titanium zeolite. In one example, the organic compound is propylene and the reaction product is propylene oxide.

Abstract: Ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyurethane compositions are provided which are made by reacting an isocyanate with an ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyol that is made by co-polymerizing an alkylene oxide, an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride and a hydroxy functional compound and which has an ultra-low level of unsaturation. The inventive ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyurethane compositions may find use in or as coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and the like.

Abstract: An ultraviolet (UV)-curable polyol is provided, which is made by co-polymerizing an alkylene oxide, an unsaturated carboxylic acid or anhydride and a hydroxy functional compound in the presence of a double metal cyanide (DMC) complex catalyst. The inventive polyols may be used to produce prepolymers, which in turn may be useful in making thin films which in turn may provide such items as medical examination gloves and scientific gloves.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a polyoxyalkylene polyol by polyoxyalklating a starter compound with a mixture of two different alkylene oxide monomers in which the first alkylene oxide monomer content of the mixture decreases as the content of the second alkylene oxide monomer increases over the course of the polyoxyalkylation, digesting unreacted monomers of the alkylene oxides and capping the polyol.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to double metal cyanide catalysts (“DMC”) which are prepared by combining i) at least one metal salt; ii) at least one metal cyanide salt; iii) at least one organic complexing ligand; iv) at least one alkali metal salt; and, optionally, v) at least one functionalized polymer under conditions sufficient to form a catalyst; and adding a sufficient amount of the at least one alkali metal salt to the catalyst so formed in an amount such that the catalyst includes the at least one alkali metal salt in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 6 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst. The polyols produced in the presence of the catalysts of the present invention have reduced levels of high molecular weight tail.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a polyoxyalkylene polyol by polyoxyalkylating a starter compound with a mixture of two different alkylene oxide monomers in which the first alkylene oxide monomer content of the mixture decreases as the content of the second alkylene oxide monomer increases over the course of the polyoxyalkylation, digesting unreacted monomers of the alkylene oxides and capping the polyol.

Abstract: A continuous process for making a comb-branched copolymer of an acrylic monomer and a polyether macromonomer is disclosed. The process is performed by continuously feeding a reaction zone with a monomer stream that contains an acrylic acid and a polyether macromonomer, and an initiator stream. The comb-branched copolymer made thereby performs better as water reducing agent in cement compared to that made by a batch process.

Abstract: The invention relates to double-metal cyanide catalysts for preparing polyols by the polyaddition of alkylene oxides on to starter compounds containing active hydrogen atoms, wherein the DMC catalysts are composed of: a) at least one double-metal cyanide compound; b) at least one organic complexing ligand; and, optionally, c) at least one functionalized polymer, wherein the organic complexing ligand is a mixture of a C3-C7 aliphatic alcohol and from about 2 to about 98 mole %, based on the total amount of organic complexing ligand, of a cyclic, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic ketone. The DMC catalysts of the present invention have increased activity compared to known catalysts. Additionally, the DMC catalysts of the present invention can be used to prepare polyols with reduced high molecular weight components.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polyols prepared in the presence of double metal cyanide catalysts (“DMC”) which are prepared by combining i) at least one metal salt; ii) at least one metal cyanide salt; iii) at least one organic complexing ligand; iv) at least one alkali metal salt; and, optionally, v) at least one functionalized polymer under conditions sufficient to form a catalyst; and adding a sufficient amount of the at least one alkali metal salt to the catalyst so formed in an amount such that the catalyst includes the at least one alkali metal salt in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 6 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst. The polyols produced by the process of the present invention have reduced levels of high molecular weight tail.