Abstract: Copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide have an inner block that contains from 65-90 weight percent oxyethylene units and from 10 to 35 weight percent oxypropylene units. This block has a molecular weight of from 150 to 350. The copolymer has an outer block which contains at least 95 weight % oxypropylene units and from 0 to 5% oxyethylene units. The equivalent weight of the copolymer is from 800 to 2000. The copolymers are useful in making polyurethane foams that have unexpectedly high tensile and/or tear strengths.

Abstract: Copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide have an inner block that contains from 65-90 weight percent oxyethylene units and from 10 to 35 weight percent oxypropylene units. This block has a molecular weight of from 150 to 350. The copolymer has an outer block which contains at least 95 weight % oxypropylene units and from 0 to 5% oxyethylene units. The equivalent weight of the copolymer is from 800 to 2000. The copolymers are useful in making polyurethane foams that have unexpectedly high tensile and/or tear strengths.

Abstract: Hybrid polyester-polyether polyols are prepared by polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a carboxylate initiator. The polymerization is catalyzed with a mixture of double metal cyanide catalyst complex and certain magnesium, group 3-group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal (MG3-15LA) compound makes for consistently rapid activation of the double metal cyanide catalyst complex, even in the presence of carboxylate initiator compounds. This leads to greater productivity and reduced manufacturing costs due to shorter cycle times and less waste of raw materials due to the failure of the catalyst to become activated. Once the catalyst is activated, it often polymerizes the alkylene oxide at a faster rate that the DMC catalyst by itself.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide polymerizations are performed in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and certain magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound provides several benefits including more rapid catalyst activation, faster polymerization rates and the reduction in the amount of ultra high molecular weight polymers that are formed. The catalyst mixture is unexpectedly useful in making polyethers having low equivalent weights.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide polymerizations are performed in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and certain magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound provides several benefits including more rapid catalyst activation, faster polymerization rates and the reduction in the amount of ultra high molecular weight polymers that are formed. The catalyst mixture is unexpectedly useful in making polyethers having low equivalent weights.

Abstract: Hybrid polyester-polyether polyols are prepared by polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a carboxylate initiator. The polymerization is catalyzed with a mixture of double metal cyanide catalyst complex and certain magnesium, group 3-group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds.

Abstract: A viscoelastic polyurethane foam is the reaction product of at least one natural oil derived polyol and at least one aromatic compound having an average of more than one isocyanate group. A viscoelastic polyurethane foam has an air flow of at least about 0.5 l/s, wherein the foam is formed in the substantial absence of copolymer polyol and has not (yet) been mechanically reticulated and is preferably prepared using at least one natural oil derived polyol, more preferably in an amount of at least about 20 weight percent of the polyols used. A process of preparing a viscoelastic foam, comprises steps of (A) forming a reaction mixture including at least one polyol, at least one polyisocyanate, water, at least one catalyst wherein a the polyol comprises at least one natural oil derived polyol; and (B) subjecting the reaction mixture to conditions sufficient to result in the reaction mixture to expand and cure to form a viscoelastic polyurethane foam.

Abstract: A two stage alkoxlyation process for preparing a short-chain polyether polyol from a starter compound comprising from 3 to 9 hydroxyl groups and at least one alkylene oxide, wherein said starter compound has a hydroxy equivalent weight of from 22 to 90 Da. Said process comprises a first stage alkoxlyation using a superacid catalyst to prepare an oligomeric alkoxylated starter compound that is further alkoxylated to the short-chain polyether polyol of the invention in a second stage using a DMC catalyst. The process of the present invention may be performed continuously, in a batch, or semi-batch process.

Abstract: Alkylene oxide polymerizations are performed in the presence of a double metal cyanide polymerization catalyst and certain magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compounds. The presence of the magnesium, Group 3-Group 15 metal or lanthanide series metal compound provides several benefits including more rapid catalyst activation, faster polymerization rates and the reduction in the amount of ultra high molecular weight polymers that are formed. The catalyst mixture is unexpectedly useful in making polyethers having low equivalent weights.

Abstract: Natural oil-based polyols that are high in color, e.g., >40 APHA, are decolorized when exposed to high frequency visible light and/or low frequency UV light, with or without the combination of heat and/or air exposure.

Abstract: Copolymers of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide have an inner block that contains from 65-90 weight percent oxyethylene units and from 10 to 35 weight percent oxypropylene units. This block has a molecular weight of from 150 to 350. The copolymer has an outer block which contains at least 95 weight % oxypropylene units and from 0 to 5% oxyethylene units. The equivalent weight of the copolymer is from 800 to 2000. The copolymers are useful in making polyurethane foams that have unexpectedly high tensile and/or tear strengths.

Abstract: Polyether polyols are initiated with orthocyclohexanediamines such as 1,2-diaminocyclohexane. The polyols are useful in making rigid polyurethane foams, especially foams for pour-in-place applications, where they give a good combination of low k-factor and short demold times.

Abstract: Natural oil-based polyols that are high in color, e.g., >40 APHA, are decolorized when exposed to high frequency visible light and/or low frequency UV light, with or without the combination of heat and/or air exposure.

Abstract: Polyether polyols are initiated with aminocyclohexanealkylamines such as isophoronediamine and 1,8-diaminop-menthane. The polyols are useful in making rigid polyurethane foams, especially foams for pour-in-place applications, where they give a good combination of low k-factor and short demold times.

Abstract: Polyether polyols are initiated with aminocyclohexanealkylamines such as isophoronediamine and 1,8-diamino-p-menthane. The polyols are useful in making rigid polyurethane foams, especially foams for pour-in-place applications, where they give a good combination of low k-factor and short demold times.

Abstract: A polyester polyol, referred to hereinafter as a MHMS polyol comprises fatty acid based mer units wherein at least about 80 weight percent of the fatty acid based mer units are from methyl 9 (10) hydroxymethylstearate, or is prepared from an oil having fatty acids or fatty acid esters which are at least about 80 weight percent oleic acid or esters thereof and which has an average hydroxyl functionality of from 1.5 to 4. A reaction product, referred to herein after as MHMS alkoxysilane prepolymer, is produced from at least one such MHMS polyol and at least one isocyanate functional silane. This prepolymer is moisture cured to form a silylated MHMS polymer.

Abstract: Flexible polyurethane foams are prepared by reacting a polyisocyanate with a high equivalent weight polyol. At least a portion of the high equivalent weight polyol is a polyester containing hydroxymethyl groups. The polyester is prepared in a multi-step process from animal or vegetable fats, by recovering the constitutent fatty acids, hydroformylating carbon-carbon double bonds in the fatty acids and reducing to form hydroxymethyl groups, and then forming a polyester by reaction with an initiator compound.

Abstract: An aldehyde composition derived by hydroformylation of a transesterified seed oil and containing a mixture of formyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters having the following composition by weight: greater than about 10 to less than about 95 percent monoformyl, greater than about 1 to less than about 65 percent diformyl, and greater than about 0.1 to less than about 10 percent triformyl-substituted fatty acids or fatty acid esters, and having a diformyl to triformyl weight ratio of greater than about 5/1; preferably, greater than about 3 to less than about 20 percent saturates; and preferably, greater than about 1 to less than about 20 percent unsaturates.

Abstract: The instant invention provides an isocyanate trimerisation catalyst system, a precursor formulation, a process for trimerising isocyanates, rigid foams made therefrom, and a process for making such foams. The trimerisation catalyst system comprises: (a) a phosphatrane cation; and (b) an isocyanate-trimer inducing anion; wherein said trimerisation catalyst system has a trimerisation activation temperature in the range of equal to or less than 73 C.

Abstract: The instant invention provides an isocyanate trimerisation catalyst system, a precursor formulation, a process for trimerising isocyanates, rigid foams made therefrom, and a process for making such foams. The trimerisation catalyst system comprises: (a) an imidazolium or imidazolinium cation; and (b) an isocyanate-trimer inducing anion; wherein said trimerisation catalyst system has a trimerisation activation temperature in the range of equal to or less than 73° C. The precursor formulation comprises: (1) at least 25 percent by weight of polyol, based on the weight of the precursor formulation; (2) less than 15 percent by weight of a trimerisation catalyst system, based on the weight of the precursor formulation, comprising; (a) an imidazolium or imidazolinium cation; and (c) an isocyanate-trimer inducing anion; wherein said trimerisation catalyst system has a trimerisation activation temperature in the range of equal to or less than 73° C.