PRODUCTION OF POLYTETRAMETHYLENE ETHER GLYCOL HAVING NARROW MOLECULAR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain the titled polymer having narrow molecular weight distribution industrially advantageously, useful as a raw material for producing a polyurethane elastomer, etc., by polymerizing THF in a specific solvent by the use of an extremely strong acid as an initiator. CONSTITUTION:An extremely strong acid (preferably fluorosulfonic acid) is used as an initiator, a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon or a saturated alicyclic hydrocarbon (preferably =2.1 dielectric constant) in a weight ration of =0.8 to THF as a starting raw material, preferably in = an equivalent amount is used as a solvent, and THF is polymerized. Further, usually unreacted THF is distilled away from the reaction mixture, both the ends of the reaction product are hydrolyzed and made into glycol, to give the aimed polymer. Polymerization of THF is carried out for 0-30hr, preferably =10hr. Generally the amount of the initiator used is preferably 0.01-0.2 in molar ratio to THF.