Catalyst composition and process using same

Abstract

A catalyst composition including a solution of at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal carboxylate and an alkaline earth metal carboxylate in a solvent which is nonreactive with the isocyanate groups of a polyisocyanate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising a solution of at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal carboxylate and an alkaline earth metal carboxylate in a solvent which is nonreactive with the isocyanate groups of a polyisocyanate. 
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of sodium carboxylate, potassium carboxylate and calcium carboxylate. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is derived from a linear or cyclic carboxylic acid or a polycarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein the carboxylic acid or polycarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 3-chloropropionic acid, pivalic acid, butyric acid, g-aminobutyric acid, valeric acid, acrylic acid, cinnamic acid, crotonic acid, oleic acid, benzoic acid, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid, p-methylbenzoic acid, naphthoic acid, cyclopentanecarboxylic acid, 3,3-dimethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid and terephthalic acid. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the carboxylic acid contains at least one carboxylic group and has a molecular weight ranging from about 46 to about 2000. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is derived from a carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid having 1 or more hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  wherein the carboxylate is selected from the group consisting of potassium lactate, potassium ricinoleate and potassium dimethylolpropionate. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the carboxylate is an octoate. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the carboxylate is lithium caprylate, sodium caprylate, potassium caprylate, calcium caprylate, lithium 2-ethylhexanoate, sodium 2-ethylhexanoate, calcium 2-ethylhexanoate or potassium 2-ethylhexanoate. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent includes functional groups that are nonreactive with isocyanate groups during a chemical reaction. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is an aprotic solvent selected from the group consisting of a dialkyl sulfoxide, a N,N-dialkylalkanoamide, an aryl or alkyl phosphonate, a trialkyl phosphate, an organic carbonate, a tertiary amine, a ketone and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is an aprotic solvent selected from the group consisting of diethyl-ethyl-phosphonate, tetramethylenesulfone, 1-methyl 2-pyrrolidinone, triethylphosphate, tributylethylphosphate, acetonitrile, dimethylcarbonate, dimethylbenzylamine, dimethylaminopropylhexahydrotriazine, pentamethyldiethylenamine, di-isobutylchetone, methyl n-amyl ketone and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is an ether having substantially no free hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is an ester having substantially no free hydroxyl groups derived from a mono, di- or poly-carboxylic acid with a monol, diol, triol or glycol ether, a triglyceride derived from an aliphatic or aromatic acid with glycerol, an amide having substantially no free —NH groups derived from an aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acid with an amine, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is a silane or siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer having substantially no free hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is present in an amount of less than about 90 percent by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16  wherein the carboxylate is present in an amount of from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of the solution, in particular from about 50 percent to about 80 percent by weight based on the total weight of the solution. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16  wherein the solvent is present in an amount of from about 10 percent to about 90 percent by weight based on the total weight of the solution, in particular from about 20 percent to about 50 percent by weight based on the total weight of the solution. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein water is present in an amount of less than about 25 percent by weight of the composition. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 19  wherein the amount of water present in the composition is less than about 5 percent by weight of the final weight of the composition. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition is added to an isocyanate prepolymer, an isocyanate prepolymer or a polyol component. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1  further comprises an OH value of less than about 20 mg KOH/gram of the composition, in particular the OH value is less than about 10 mg/gram of the composition. 
     
     
         23 . A composition having a solution of at least one member selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal carboxylate and alkaline earth metal carboxylate in a solvent which is nonreactive with the isocyanate groups of a polyisocyanate and water which is present in an amount of less than about 25 percent by weight of the composition, wherein the solvent is present in an amount of less than about 90 percent by weight of the composition.