Verfahren zur Herstellung von hydrophoben Polyäthern

Sulphur containing polymers suitable for use as lubricants and plasticizers are obtained by condensing hydroxyalkylated glycols containing thio-ether groups with each other or with non-hydroxylated glycols containing sulphur-ether groups. Alternatively hydroxylated glycols are condensed with glycols containing sulphur-ether groups. Preferred glycols containing thioether groups are those containing ethylene, propylene and isopropylene groups bonded between a thioether group and are an OH group, e.g. bis-beta-hydroxyethyl sulphide, b ,b 1-dihydroxydipropyl sulphide and a ,a 1-dihydroxydipropyl sulphide and compounds such as Suitable hydroxyalkylation products of glycols containing thioether groups are reaction products of thioether glycols and alkylene oxides. These products can be obtained without the use of pressure by reacting at temperatures above 8 DEG C. in presence of a tertiary amine or quaternary ammonium base as catalyst. Examples of glycols which have been hydroxylated are: Glycols containing aromatic groups may also be used, e.g. Example (8) thio diglycol and 1,4-butylene-bis-hydroxyethyl glycol are reacted with a polyester obtained by condensing adipic acid and glycol and similar compounds in which the aromatic rings are joined by -CH2-, -C(CH3)-, -O-, -S-, and -SO2- linkages. The poly condensation is carried out by heating equimolecular proportions of the reactants in presence of catalysts, e.g. aromatic sulphonic acids and their esters, sulphuric acid and amido sulphonic acids. Alcohols or polyesters containing three or more hydroxyl groups may be added during the condensation. In examples: (1) bis-b -hydroxy ethyl sulphide is condensed with ethylene oxide in presence of hexahydrodimethyl aniline. The product obtained is condensed in presence of p-toluene-sulphonic acid with bis-b -hydroxyethyl sulphide. (2) A compound of formula HO(CH2)2-O-(CH2)2OH (obtained by reacting ethyl oxide with bis-b -hydroxy-ethyl-sulphide) is converted into a polythio ether by heating it to 150-170 DEG C. in presence of p-toluene-sulphonic acid. (3) Bis-b -hydroxyethyl-sulphide is condensed with trimethylol propane to give a branched polyether. (4) Thio diglycol and 1,4-butylene-bis hydroxy ethyl glycol are condensed. Thio diglycol is condensed with (5) pentaglycol monohydroxyether (6) 4,41-bis-hydro