Process for oxyalkylating solid polyols

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR OXYALKYLATING A NORMALLY SOLID POLYOL,, WHICH COMPRISES, MIXING AND HEATING TO FROM 85*C. TO 170*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A BASIC OXYALKYLATION CATALYST (1) A VICINAL ALKYLENE OXIDE, (2) A NORMALLY SOLID ORGANIC POLYOL HAVING 3 TO 8 HYDROXYL RADICALS PER MOLECULE AND (3) A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE ADDUCT OF A NORMALLY SOLID ORGANIC POLYOL HAVING 3 TO 8 HYDROXYL RADICALS PER MOLS CULE WITH FROM 1 T/ 4 MOLS OF A VICINAL ALKYLENE OXIDE PER MOL OF SAID POLYOL, SAID ORGANIC POLYOL HAVING A MELTING POINT OF AT LEAST 100*C. AND BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PENTAERYTHRITOL, DIPENTAERYTHRITOL, TRIPENTACRYTHRITOL, TRIMETHYLOLETHANE, INOSITOL, MONOSACCHARIDES AND DISACCHARIDES, SAID ALKYLENE OXIDE BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ETHYLENE OXIDE, PROPYLENE OXIDE, 1,2-BUTYLENE OXIDE, 2,3-BUTYLENE OXIDE, ISOBUTYLENE OXIDE, BUTADIENE MONOXIDE, STYRENE OXIDE, CYCLOHEXENE OXIDE, BUTADIENE DIOXIDE, METHYL GLYCIDYL ETHER, PHENYL GLYCIDYL ETHER AND MIXTURES THEREOF, SAID OXYALKYLATION CATALYST BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AKALI METAL HYDROXIDES, ALKALI METALS AND ALKALI METAL ALCHOLATES, THE AMOUNT OF SAID ADDUCT EMPLOYED BEING SUFFICIENT SO THAT IT IS THE SOLVENT AND REACTION MEDIUM FOR THE PROCESS AND THE AMOUNT OF SAID SOLID ORGANIC POLYOL THAT IS EMPLOYED BEING AT LEAST SUFFICIENT SO THAT THE POLYOL IS OXYALKYLATED BY THE VICINAL ALKYLENE OXIDE UNDER THE CONDITION OF THE PROCESS.