Alkylene oxide polymer production method

Abstract

Provided is an alkylene oxide polymer production method, whereby it becomes possible to produce an alkylene oxide polymer having a high polymerization degree on an industrial scale and with high reproducibility. An alkylene oxide polymer production method comprising carrying out a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide in an inert hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of a zinc catalyst to produce an alkylene oxide polymer, wherein the zinc catalyst is produced by reacting an organozinc compound with a monohydric alcohol in an amount of 12-fold equivalent or less relative to the amount of the organozinc compound and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol in an amount of 0.2- to 1.1-fold equivalent relative to the amount of the organozinc compound, and the polymerization reaction is carried out under such a condition that the amount of the monohydric alcohol in the polymerization reaction system becomes 0.01-fold equivalent or less relative to the amount of the organozinc compound.

1 . A method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer comprising polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a zinc catalyst in an inert hydrocarbon solvent to produce an alkylene oxide polymer, wherein
 the zinc catalyst is prepared by reacting an organozinc compound with a monohydric alcohol in an amount of 12 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol in an amount of 0.2 to 1.1 equivalents relative to the organozinc compound, and   the polymerization reaction is performed under conditions such that the amount of the monohydric alcohol in the polymerization reaction is 0.01 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound.   
     
     
         2 . A method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer comprising polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a zinc catalyst in an inert hydrocarbon solvent to produce an alkylene oxide polymer, wherein the method comprises:
 reacting an organozinc compound with a monohydric alcohol in an amount of 12 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol in an amount of 0.2 to 1.1 equivalents relative to the organozinc compound to prepare a reaction liquid,   distilling the reaction liquid under normal pressure at a temperature of 100° C. or less to prepare a zinc catalyst in which the amount of the monohydric alcohol is adjusted to 0.01 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound, and   polymerizing the alkylene oxide in the presence of the zinc catalyst in which the amount of the monohydric alcohol has been adjusted to 0.01 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound.   
     
     
         3 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the organozinc compound is a dialkylzinc. 
     
     
         4 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         5 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyhydric alcohol is an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol having 2 or more carbon atoms and having two or more hydroxy groups in each molecule thereof 
     
     
         6 . A method for the production of a zinc catalyst to be used for a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide, the method comprising:
 reacting an organozinc compound with a monohydric alcohol in an amount of 12 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol in an amount of 0.2 to 1.1 equivalents relative to the organozinc compound, and   distilling the reaction liquid obtained in the reaction step under normal pressure at a temperature of 100° C. or less to adjust the amount of the monohydric alcohol to 0.01 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound.   
     
     
         7 . A zinc catalyst to be used for a polymerization reaction of an alkylene oxide, prepared by reacting an organozinc compound with a monohydric alcohol in an amount of 12 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound and an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol in an amount of 0.2 to 1.1 equivalents relative to the organozinc compound, then distilling the resulting reaction liquid under normal pressure at a temperature of 100° C. or less, thereby having adjusted the amount of the monohydric alcohol to 0.01 equivalents or less relative to the organozinc compound. 
     
     
         8 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 2 , wherein the organozinc compound is a dialkylzinc. 
     
     
         9 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 2 , wherein the monohydric alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         10 . The method for the production of an alkylene oxide polymer according to  claim 2 , wherein the aliphatic polyhydric alcohol is an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol having 2 or more carbon atoms and having two or more hydroxy groups in each molecule thereof.