Published December 1968
This report concerns products formed from reactions of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide with a compound having two or more reactive hydrogen atoms. The reactions result in a compound having two or more chains, each of which has an end hydroxy1 group and consists of units of propylene or ethylene linked together by ether. Such products are polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, adducts of glycerol and other polyhydric alcohols with propylene oxide or ethylene oxide, adducts of carbohydrate or amines with such oxides and the like. These compounds are useful in making polyurethane and as surface-active agents among other uses.
The polyols that are considered to be either important or typical of certain structures or properties are evaluated. Others are described qualitatively.
Related compounds that are not considered to be polyols and therefore are not included in this report are diglycols, triglycols, glycol ethers, and oxyalkylated phenols. The polymers of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide with exceedingly high molecular weight also are not polyols and are only briefly mentioned in marginal cases. Polyols derived from butylene oxide and tetrahydrofuran are briefly and qualitatively treated.
