Process for the preparation of polycarbonates and foamed polyurethanes

Claim 2

A process for the preparation of a polycarbonate, comprising the reaction of at least one epoxy compound and carbon dioxide at a temperature in the range of from 40 to 200 °C and at a pressure in the range of from 2 to 40 bar absolute, characterized in that the reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of a double metal cyanide complex, and a. one or more salts composed of at least bivalent metal ions and metal-free anions, having a solubility in water of at least 1 g/100 ml at 25 °C, and/or b. one or more no-metal containing acids of which a 0.1 N solution in water at 25 °C has a pH not exceeding 3.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, wherein a double metal cyanide complex and a compound a and/or b are used in a molar ratio in the range of from 10 to 0.1, preferably in the range of from 4 to 0.2.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein a double metal cyanide complex has the general formula M¹ a [M²(CN) b (A) c ] d .w M³B e .x H₂O.y L.z H n C m (I) wherein M¹ represents at least one of Zn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), Cu(II), Sn(II) or Pb(II); M² represents at least one of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(III), Cr(III), Mn(II), Mn(III), Ir(III), Rh(III), Ru(II), V(IV) or V(V); M³ represents M¹ and/or M²; A, B and C each represent an anion which may be the same or different; L represents an alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, ether, ester, amide, nitrile or sulphide or mixtures thereof; a and d are numbers to satisfy the valency state of M¹ and M² in the double metal cyanide part of the general formula I; b and c are integers (b>c) which together with a and d provide the electroneutrality of the double metal cyanide part of the general formula I; e is an integer satisfying the valency state of M³; n and m are integers satisfying the electroneutrality of HC, and w is a number between 0.1 and 4; x is a number up to 20; y is a number between 0.1 and 6, and z is a number between 0.1 and 5.

Claim 5

A process according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the double metal cyanide complex of general formula I is a zinc hexacyano cobaltate complex of general formula Zn₃[Co(CN)₆]₂.w M³X₂.x H₂O.y L.z HX (II) wherein X represents a halide, preferably Cl or Br, M³ represents Zn(II), Co(II) or Fe(II), L represents an alcohol, ether or ester, with a preference given to acyclic diethers, w is an number between 0.7 and 1.5 x is a number between 2 and 10 y is a number between 1.5 and 3 z is a number between 0.15 and 1.5

Claim 6

A process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the double metal cyanide complex is used in combination with a salt as under a.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 5 wherein the salt as under a is zinc sulphate.

Claim 8

A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of an organic compound having at least one active hydrogen.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 7 wherein the organic compound having at least one active hydrogen, is a trihydric alcohol.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 8 wherein the trihydric alcohol is a propoxylated glycerol having a molecular weight in the range of from 200 to 2000.

Claim 11

A process according to any of the preceding claims wherein the epoxy compound is propylene oxide.

Claim 12

A process according to any of the preceding claims to which is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 70 to 120 °C.

Claim 13

A process according to any of the preceding claims which is carried out at a pressure in the range of from 2 to 15 bar absolute.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 7 wherein the catalyst is used in an amount which corresponds to 0.01 to 15 %w of the amount of organic compound having at least one active hydrogen.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 13 wherein the catalyst is used in an amount which corresponds to 0.5 to 5 %w of the amount of organic compound having at least one active hydrogen.

Claim 16

A process for the preparation of a foam-forming composition, which process comprises reacting a polycarbonate prepared by a process as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14 with a polyisocyanate in the presence of a blowing agent and a catalyst.

Claim 17

Polyurethane foams whenever obtained from the foam-forming compositions prepared according to claim 15.