Polyether glycols and alcohols derived from 3,4-epoxy-1-butene

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Disclosed are novel saturated polyether compounds comprised of n units of residue (1) and m units of residue (2) wherein (i) residues, (1) and (2) have the structures (1) and (2); (ii) the total value of n + m is 2 to 70 and m/(n + m) is 0.05 to 0.98; (ii) at least 98 percent of the terminal hydroxyl groups of the polyether have the structure (3) or (4). The polyethers are obtained by first polymerizing 3,4-epoxy-1-butene to produce unsaturated polyether precursors comprising residues (1A) and (2A) having the structures (1A) and (2A) and then hydrogenating, the unsaturated polyether precursors. The hydrogenation advantageously is performed in the presence of a nickel hydrogenation catalyst.