Highly branched polyether polyols of high molecular weight

Claim 1

A composition of matter comprising a mixture of compounds of the structural formula X--(Y--X).sub.p --Y--X where X is the residue of a polyglycerol polyol with an M group removed, said polyglycerol polyol being a mixture of compounds of the formula ##STR2## where R is hydrogen or a methyl group and in which at least 75% of the R groups are hydrogen, M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, m is an integer having an average value greater than 5, and n is an integer having an average value high enough to provide a compound mixture having more than 95% alkylene oxide moieties, Y is the residue of a diol containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms with two --OH groups removed therefrom, and p is an integer of 0 to 10 such that the molecular weight of the molecule exceeds 12,000, but not 50,000.

Claim 3

A method of producing a composition of matter comprising a mixture of compounds of the structural formula X--(Y--X).sub.p --Y--X where X is the residue of a polyglycerol polyol with an M group removed, said polyglycerol polyol being a mixture of compounds of the structural formula ##STR3## where R is hydrogen or a methyl group and in which at least 75% of the R groups are hydrogen, M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, m is an integer having an average value greater that 5, and n is an integer having an average value high enough to provide a compound mixture having more than 95% alkylene oxide moieties, Y is the residue of a diol containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms with two --OH groups removed therefrom, and p is an integer of 0 to 10 such that the molecular weight of the molecule exceeds 12,000, but not 50,000, said method comprising the steps of forming as a first solution an anhydrous, alkali-catalyzed solution of a starting material comprising a mixture of compounds having the structural formula defined above in an inert organic solvent, forming a second anhydrous solution comprising a difunctional coupling agent selected from the group consisting of the benzenesulfonic and toluene acid diesters of diols containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms in an inert organic solvent, and reacting said second solution with said first solution at a temperature from 20° to 250° C to obtain a coupled product having a molecular weight of over 12,000, but less than 50,000.

Claim 4

A method of producing a composition of matter comprising a mixture of compounds of the structural formula X--(Y--X).sub.p --Y--X where X is the residue of a polyglycerol polyol with an M group removed, said polyglycerol polyol being a mixture of compounds of the structural formula ##STR3## where R is hydrogen or a methyl group and in which at least 75% of the R groups are hydrogen, M is hydrogen or an alkali metal, m is an integer having an average value greater that 5, and n is an integer having an average value high enough to provide a compound mixture having more than 95% alkylene oxide moieties, Y is the residue of a diol containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms with two --OH groups removed therefrom, and p is an integer of 0 to 10 such that the molecular weight of the molecule exceeds 12,000, but not 50,000, said method comprising the steps of forming as a first solution an anhydrous, alkali-catalyzed solution of a starting material comprising a mixture of compounds having the structural formula defined above in an inert organic solvent, forming a second anhydrous solution comprising a difunctional coupling agent selected from the group consisting of the benzenesulfonic and toluene acid diesters of diols containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms in an inert organic solvent, and reacting said second solution with said first solution at a temperature from 20° to 250° C to obtain a coupled product having a molecular weight of over 12,000, but less than 50,000.