Propylene oxide compounds

Propylene oxide and other epoxides undergo homopolymerization to form polyethers. In industry the polymerization is started with multihinctional compounds to give a polyether stmcture having hydroxyl end groups. The hydroxyl end groups are utilized in a polyurethane forming reaction. This article is mainly concerned with propylene oxide (PO) and its various homopolymers that are used in the urethane industry. 

Polymerization to Polyether Polyols. The addition polymerization of propylene oxide to form polyether polyols is very important commercially. Polyols are made by addition of epoxides to initiators, ie, compounds that contain an active hydrogen, such as alcohols or amines. The polymerization occurs with either anionic (base) or cationic (acidic) catalysis. The base catalysis is preferred commercially (25,27). 

Carbonyl Compounds. Cychc ketals and acetals (dioxolanes) are produced from reaction of propylene oxide with ketones and aldehydes, respectively. Suitable catalysts iaclude stannic chloride, quaternary ammonium salts, glycol sulphites, and molybdenum acetyl acetonate or naphthenate (89—91). Lactones come from Ph4Sbl-cataly2ed reaction with ketenes (92). 

After epoxidation a distillation is performed to remove the propylene, propylene oxide, and a portion of the TBHP and TBA overhead. The bottoms of the distillation contains TBA, TBHP, some impurities such as formic and acetic acid, and the catalyst residue. Concentration of this catalyst residue for recycle or disposal is accompHshed by evaporation of the majority of the TBA and other organics (141,143,144), addition of various compounds to yield a metal precipitate that is filtered from the organics (145—148), or Hquid extraction with water (149). Low (<500 ppm) levels of soluble catalyst can be removed by adsorption on soHd magnesium siUcate (150). The recovered catalyst can be treated for recycle to the epoxidation reaction (151). 

Propylene oxide is also produced in Hquid-phase homogeneous oxidation reactions using various molybdenum-containing catalysts (209,210), cuprous oxide (211), rhenium compounds (212), or an organomonovalent gold(I) complex (213). Whereas gas-phase oxidation of propylene on silver catalysts results primarily in propylene oxide, water, and carbon dioxide as products, the Hquid-phase oxidation of propylene results in an array of oxidation products, such as propylene oxide, acrolein, propylene glycol, acetone, acetaldehyde, and others. 

Propylene oxide is a useful chemical intermediate. Additionally, it has found use for etherification of wood (qv) to provide dimensional stabiUty (255,256), for purification of mixtures of organosiUcon compounds (257), for disinfection of cmde oil and petroleum products (258), for steriliza tion of medical equipment and disinfection of foods (259,260), and for stabilization of halogenated organics (261—263). 

Catalysts. Silver and silver compounds are widely used in research and industry as catalysts for oxidation, reduction, and polymerization reactions. Silver nitrate has been reported as a catalyst for the preparation of propylene oxide (qv) from propylene (qv) (58), and silver acetate has been reported as being a suitable catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide (qv) from ethylene (qv) (59). The solubiUty of silver perchlorate in organic solvents makes it a possible catalyst for polymerization reactions, such as the production of butyl acrylate polymers in dimethylformamide (60) or the polymerization of methacrylamide (61). Similarly, the solubiUty of silver tetrafiuoroborate in organic solvents has enhanced its use in the synthesis of 3-pyrrolines by the cyclization of aHenic amines (62). 

Yields of propylene chlorohydrin range from 87—90% with dichloropropane yields of 6—9%. The dichloropropane is not only a yield loss but also represents a disposal problem as few uses are known for this material. Since almost all the propylene chlorohydrin is dehydrochlorinated to propylene oxide with lime or sodium hydroxide, none of the chlorine appears in the final product. Instead, it ends up as dilute calcium or sodium chloride solutions, which usually contain small amounts of propylene glycol and other organic compounds that can present significant disposal problems. 

Two propylene oxide elastomers have been commercialized, PO—AGE and ECH—PO—AGE. These polymers show excellent low temperature flexibihty and low gas permeabihty. After compounding, PO—AGE copolymer is highly resiUent, and shows excellent flex life and flexibiUty at extremely low temperatures (ca —65°C). It is slightly better than natural mbber in these characteristics. Resistance to oil, fuels, and solvents is moderate to poor. Wear resistance is also poor. Unlike natural mbber, PO—AGE is ozone resistant and resistant to aging at high temperatures. The properties of compounded ECH—PO—AGE he somewhere between those of ECH—EO copolymer and PO—AGE copolymer (22). As the ECH content of the terpolymer increases, fuel resistance increases while low temperature flexibihty decreases. Heat resistance is similar to ECH—EO fuel resistance is similar to polychloroprene. The uncured mbber is soluble in aromatic solvents and ketones. 

There have been a number of cell designs tested for this reaction. Undivided cells using sodium bromide electrolyte have been tried (see, for example. Ref. 29). These have had electrode shapes for in-ceU propylene absorption into the electrolyte. The chief advantages of the electrochemical route to propylene oxide are elimination of the need for chlorine and lime, as well as avoidance of calcium chloride disposal (see Calcium compounds, calcium CHLORIDE Lime and limestone). An indirect electrochemical approach meeting these same objectives employs the chlorine produced at the anode of a membrane cell for preparing the propylene chlorohydrin external to the electrolysis system. The caustic made at the cathode is used to convert the chlorohydrin to propylene oxide, reforming a NaCl solution which is recycled. Attractive economics are claimed for this combined chlor-alkali electrolysis and propylene oxide manufacture (135). 

Ethylene oxide (qv), propylene oxide (qv), butylene oxide, and other epoxides react with ethanol to give a variety of Uquid, viscous, semiwax, and soUd products. These products are used ia the coatings iadustry as solvents, and as paints, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, and special-purpose polymers. Recent concerns about the health effects of ethanol containing glycol ethers have led to the decline in the production of these compounds. 

Recently (79MI50500) Sharpless and coworkers have shown that r-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) epoxidations, catalyzed by molybdenum or vanadium compounds, offer advantages over peroxy acids with regard to safety, cost and, sometimes, selectivity, e.g. Scheme 73, although this is not always the case (Scheme 74). The oxidation of propene by 1-phenylethyl hydroperoxide is an important industrial route to methyloxirane (propylene oxide) (79MI5501). 

In the organic chemicals industry, H2O2 is used in the production of epoxides, propylene oxide, and caprolactones for PVC stabilizers and polyurethanes, in the manufacture of organic peroxy compounds for use as polymerization initiators and curing agents, and in the synthesis of fine chemicals such as hydroquinone, pharmaceuticals (e.g. cephalosporin) and food products (e.g. tartaric acid). 

Chapman and co-workers have investigated the nucleophilic displacement of chlorine in various chloronitropyridines by three pyridines. In each of these series of three compounds, an excellent correlation is observed, but, again, longer series would be extremely desirable. Similarly, the nucleophilic attack of a series of four pyridines on propylene oxide follows the Hammett equation with high pre-... 

The initiator usually constitutes less than 1% of the final product, and since starting the process with such a small amount of material in the reaction vessel may be difficult, it is often reacted with propylene oxide to produce a precursor compound, which may be stored until required [6]. The yield of poloxamer is essentially stoichiometric the lengths of the PO and EO blocks are determined by the amount of epoxide fed into the reactor at each stage. Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture is cooled and the alkaline catalyst neutralized. The neutral salt may then be removed or allowed to remain in the product, in which case it is present at a level of 0.5-1.0%. The catalyst may, alternatively, be removed by adsorption on acidic clays or with ion exchangers [7]. Exact maintenance of temperature, pressure, agitation speed, and other parameters are required if the products are to be reproducible, thus poloxamers from different suppliers may exhibit some difference in properties. 

The use of peroxides for the oxidation of propylene produces propylene oxide. This compound is also obtained via a chlorohydrination of propylene followed by epoxidation. 

Epoxidation with hydrogen peroxide has also been tried. The epoxidation reaction is catalyzed with compounds of As, Mo, and B, which are claimed to produce propylene oxide in high yield ... 

The only known instance of ring-opening polymerization with these compounds is also the only report on the successful polymerization of 2,5-dihydrofuran74 in which this compound was cationically copolymerized with epichlorhydrin (rx 0, r2 0), propylene oxide (r, 0, r2 0) and 3,3-bischloromethyl oxacyclobutane (/ ] 0, r2 = 1.6). It was shown that all the copolymers obtained possessed a certain degree of unsaturation which was attributed to the presence of open units from 2,5-dihydrofuran. Thus, for example the alternating copolymer with epichlorhydrin had the following structure (IR spectra, Cl content. C=C analysis) ... 

In a synthesis of 2,3-di(hetero)arylpyrido[3,2 [l,4]thiazepines developed by Couture, 2-chloro-3-formylpyridine is reacted with arylmethylamines to form the imines. Deprotonation with LDA at -78 °C followed by treatment with non enolisable aryl thioesters gives the title compounds which may be further annulated by irradiation in benzene in the presence of iodine and propylene oxide <96S986> (Scheme 14). 

C04-0130. Propylene oxide is used primarily in the S3mthesis of poly(propylene glycol), a pol Tner used in the manufacture of automobile seats, bedding, and carpets. Around 2 billion kilograms of this compound are produced annually in the United States. Propylene oxide is produced by the following reaction ... 

The structure of the single phase bismuth-iron molybdate compound of composition Bl3FeMo20.2 related to the scheellte structure of Bi2Mo30-2( ). It is reported(, ) that the catalytic activity and selectivity of bismuth-iron molybdate for propylene oxidation and ammoxidatlon is not greater than that of bismuth molybdate. 

Shah et al. (1994) have studied the preparation of a class of compounds called Indans, by cross-dimerization of AMS with amylenes, using an ion-exchange resin and acid-treated clay catalysts (Eqns. (12) and (13)). Indans can be subsequently converted, e.g. by acetylation, into perfumric compounds having mu.sk odour. For example, 1,1,2,3,3-pentamethylindan, the product obtained by cross-dimerization of AMS and wo-amylene (Eqn. (12)), can be reacted with propylene oxide and /7 ra-formaldehyde to give an indan type isochroman musk compound, 6-oxa-l,l,2,3,3,8-hexamethyl-2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-lH-benz(f)-indene, sold as Galaxolide commercially. 

Propylene oxide was introduced into a container that contained epoxy resins it detonated. This accident was put down to compound polymerisation catalysed by triamines or superior homologues, which are used to harden resins (for example, triethylenetetramine). 

A drilling fluid additive, which acts as a clay stabilizer, is the reaction product of methylglucoside and alkylene oxides such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or butylene oxide. Such an additive is soluble in water at ambient conditions, but becomes insoluble at elevated down-hole temperatures [386], Because of their insolubility at elevated temperatures, these compounds concentrate at important surfaces such as the drill bit cutting surface, the borehole surface, and the surfaces of the drilled cuttings. 

Unsaturations of hydroxy-containing compounds are reduced on reaction with nitrile oxides such as tetramethyl terephthalonitrile N,N -dioxide (506) or 1,3,5-triethylbenzene-2,6-dicarbonitrile oxide (507). The reaction of a nitrile oxide with terminal unsaturation, associated with the preparation of a poly-ol from propylene oxide, reduces the mono-ol content of the poly-ol composition. Thus, stirring a solution of an ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymer with an OH content of 2.39% and vinyl unsaturation of 3.58% in THF with l,3,5-triethylbenzene-2,6-dicarbonitrile oxide for 1 min results in an effective removal of the terminal unsaturation. 

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