High-Activity Double-Metal-Cyanide Catalyst Using Alicyclic Carbonate Ligands
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Solution Overview
Problem
Double-metal-cyanide (DMC) catalysts used in polyol production generate high-molecular-weight compounds, leading to reduced workability and increased costs when attempting to remove these compounds, making existing methods industrially unfeasible.
Innovation Solution
A high-activity DMC catalyst is developed using a mixture of C2-C7 fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates as organic complexing ligands, which reduces the amount of high-molecular-weight compounds in polyols by incorporating alicyclic carbonate into the catalyst synthesis process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If DMC catalyst is used to fabricate polyols, then reaction speed is improved and unsaturation level is reduced, but high-molecular-weight compounds increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the organic complexing ligand by introducing alicyclic carbonate structures with specific molecular weights and functional groups. This modifies the catalyst's interaction with the polymerization system, reducing the formation of high-molecular-weight compounds while maintaining high reaction speed and low unsaturation levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite organic complexing ligand system combining alicyclic carbonate structures with other coordinating compounds. This composite ligand structure enables the DMC catalyst to achieve superior performance by simultaneously improving reaction speed, reducing unsaturation, and minimizing high-molecular-weight compound formation through synergistic effects of different ligand components.
2Ease of operation
If high-molecular-weight compounds are removed from polyols, then workability is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preventing the formation of high-molecular-weight compounds during the polymerization process itself, rather than removing them afterward. The modified DMC catalyst with alicyclic carbonate ligands controls the polymerization to inherently produce polyols with minimal high-molecular-weight compounds, eliminating the need for costly post-processing removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of high-molecular-weight compound formation into a benefit by using the catalyst modification to selectively promote desired polymerization pathways. The alicyclic carbonate ligands guide the reaction to produce predominantly low-polydispersity polyols, turning what would be a problematic byproduct into a controlled aspect of the synthesis that improves rather than harms the final product quality.
3Power
If conventional organic complexing ligands are used with DMC catalyst, then catalyst activity is maintained, but high-molecular-weight compounds are not reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifically changes the structural parameters of the organic complexing ligand by incorporating alicyclic carbonate moieties with defined ring structures and carbon atom counts (C2-C7). These structural parameter changes in the ligand directly influence the catalyst's performance, maintaining high activity while reducing high-molecular-weight compound formation through the unique steric and electronic properties of the alicyclic carbonate groups.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst enhances activity and reduces high-molecular-weight compounds in polyols, improving workability and reducing production costs by using alicyclic carbonate in the synthesis process, resulting in polyols with insignificant high-molecular-weight components.
Implementation Method 1
The organic complexing ligand is a mixture of a C2-C7 fatty alcohol and an alicyclic carbonate... the double metal cyanide is the product of the reaction of at least one metal salt and at least one metal cyanide salt
Data Source
AI summary
A high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst, a method for fabricating the same, and applications of the same are disclosed. An organic complexing ligand, which is formed via mixing fatty alcohols and alicyclic carbonates, is used to generate a high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst. The high-activity double-metal-cyanide catalyst includes at least one double-metal-cyanide compound, at least one organic complexing ligand, and an optional functionalized compound. The double-metal-cyanide catalyst of the present invention has a higher activity than the conventional double-metal-cyanide catalysts. The polyols generated by the present invention has an insignificant amount of high-molecular-weight compounds.