Condensation of ethylene oxide

Poly(ethylene oxide)s [25372-68-3] are made by condensation of ethylene oxide with a basic catalyst. In order to achieve a very high molecular weight, water and other compounds that can act as chain terminators must be rigorously excluded. Polymers up to a molecular weight of 8 million are available commercially in the form of dry powders (27). These must be dissolved carefliUy using similar techniques to those used for dry polyacrylamides. Poly(ethylene oxide)s precipitate from water solutions just below the boiling point (see Polyethers, ethylene oxide polymers). 

A polyether-alcohol, prepared by co-condensation of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide with a polyhydric alcohol, was stored at above 100°C and exposed to air via a vent line. After 10-15 h, violent decomposition occurred, rupturing the vessel. It was subsequently found that exothermic oxidation of the product occurred above 100°C, and that at 300°C a rapid exothermic reaction set in, accompanied by vigorous gas evolution. 

Phenols. The condensation of ethylene oxides with phenols ha not been investigated so extensively as that of alcohols, but generally follows a similar course. 

Gilman and Towle,Mt finally, have reported the condensation of ethylene oxide with -picalyllitbium (Eq, 813), which occurs normally to give only 3- a-pic ]yl)propaaol, as shown by oxidation to [Pg.203]

A ketolacfcone was isolated. 1 on the other hand, from the condensation of ethylene oxide with carbethoxy methyl cydopropyl ketone in the presence of sodium ethoxide (Eq. S73a). 

Advantage of the fact that a-c rbethoxybutyrolaetone still possesses an active proton has been taken by McRae and oo-workera.1077 Condensation of ethylene oxide, diethyl sodiomalonate, and a suitable Alkvl halide in equal proportions gives rise to an mo-disubstituted bntyrolactone, as shown in Eq. (666). 

Poloxamer 331 occurs as a practically colorless liquid. It is a block copolymer condensate of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide with an average formula weight of 3800, a specific gravity of about 1.02, and a refractive index of about 1.452. It is very slightly soluble in water at 25°, but is freely soluble at 0° it is freely soluble in alcohol, but is insoluble in propylene glycol and in ethylene glycol. 

Polyethylene Glycol Also known as macrogol, PEG is synthesized by condensation of ethylene oxide and water under suitable reaction conditions. Based on the... 

Condensates of ethylene oxide with an amine. The condensation of al-kylamines with ethylene oxide leads to secondary or tertiary substituted amines depending on the concentration of ethylene oxide. 

Condensates of ethylene oxides with an amide. Fatty acid alkanolamides are amides of alkylolamines and fatty acids. Certain members of this class exhibit detergency and others do not. The nondetergent materials are converted into detergents by condensation with ethylene oxide. 

Oxyethylated surfactants The multiple condensation of ethylene oxide with a hydrophobe that contains accessible hydrogen atoms yields a polyethylene-oxide with an attached hydrophobic tail group. Polyethyleneoxide surfactants constitute the major portion of nonionic surfactants. The ability to control the... 

Derivation (1) Condensation of ethylene oxide with hydrocyanic acid followed by reaction with sulfuric acid at 320F (2) acetylene, carbon monoxide, and water, with nickel catalyst (3) propylene is vapor oxidized to acrolein, which is oxidized to acrylic acid at 300C with molybdenum-vanadium catalyst (4) hydrolysis of acrylonitrile. 

The Friedel-Crafts condensation of ethylene oxide with aromatics gives aryl ethanols in good yields. 

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