Process of manufacturing surfactants and lubricants

US11970574B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC · US

Inventors

• Arjun Raghuraman · Pearland, US
• William H. Heath · Lake Jackson, US
• Bruce D. Hook · Lake Jackson, US
• Wanglin Yu · Midland, US
• Sukrit Mukhopadhyay · Midland, US
• Heather A. Spinney · Midland, US
• David R. Wilson · Midland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 14, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 30, 2024
• Expiry date: Jun 3, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C11D1/72
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of producing an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant or lubricant, the method including reacting a low molecular weight initiator with ethylene oxide in the presence of a polymerization catalyst, the low molecular weight initiator having a nominal hydroxyl functionality at least 1, and the polymerization catalyst being a Lewis acid catalyst having the general formula M(R1)I(R2)I(R3)I(R4)0 or 1, whereas M is boron, aluminum, indium, bismuth or erbium, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are each independent, R1 includes a first fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group, R2 includes a second fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a first fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, R3 includes a third fluoroalkyl-substituted phenyl group or a second fluoro/chloro-substituted phenyl group, and optional R4 includes a functional group or functional polymer group, R1 being different from at least one of R2 and R3. The method further including forming an alcohol ethoxylate surfactant or lubricant having a number average molecular weight of greater than the number average molecular weight of the low molecular weight initiator in the presence of the Lewis acid catalyst.