Polyalkylene oxide having unsaturated end group and narrow molecular weight distribution

Claim 1

A process for preparing a polyalkylene oxide having a distribution of molecular weight (Mw/Mn) of not more than 1.25, which comprises a main chain consisting essentially of a recurring unit of the formula (I): ##STR17## wherein R 1 is a monovalent group selected form the group consisting of hydrogen atom and a monovalent organic group of C 1 to C 6 , and may be the same or different in the different recurring units, said main chain having an unsaturated end group of the formula (II): ##STR18## wherein R 2 is a divalent organic group of C 1 to C 8 , a is 0 or 1, and R 3 is hydrogen atom or methyl, in an amount of not less than 70% of the total end groups; which consist essentially of: polymerizing an alkylene oxide in the presence of a complex catalyst prepared by reacting an active hydrogen-containing compound with an aluminium porphyrin complex, and reacting the obtained polymer with an active halogencontaining compound, said active hydrogen-containing compound being an organic compound selected from the group consisting of (a) an organic compound having an unsaturated group and an active hydrogen atom-containing group selected from hydroxyl group and carboxylic group in one molecule, and (b) an organic compound having at least two active hydrogen atom-containing groups selected from hydroxyl group and carboxylic group in one molecule, said aluminium porphyrin complex being prepared by reacting an organoaluminium compound and a porphyrin compound, and said active halogen-containing compound being an organic compound selected from the group consisting of (c) an organic compound having an active halogen atom and an unsaturated group in one molecule, and (d) an organic compound having at least two active halogen aotms in one molecule, with the proviso that when said active hydrogen-containing compound is compound (b) then said active halogen-containing compound must be compound (c).