PROCESS FOR THE ALKOXYLATION OF AMINO GROUP CONTAINING POLYMERS

The present invention relates to a process for the alkoxylation of a first polymer comprising at least one monomer unit having NH groups and optionally NH2 groups, wherein the first polymer has a molecular weight Mw of at least 500 g/mol, comprising the steps of (a) reacting the first polymer with alkylene oxide in a reaction mixture comprising a solvent until the average degree of alkoxylation of each NH group and each optional NH2 group, calculated as two NH groups, is from 0.75 to 1.25; (b) adding a second polymer of formula (I), wherein R is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, each R′ is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or hydrogen, each n is independently from 1 to 5 and m is from 5 to 40, to the reaction mixture of step (a); (c) at least partially removing the solvent from the reaction mixture of step (b); and (d) further reacting the reaction mixture of step (c) with alkylene oxide at a given temperature until the average degree of alkoxylation of each NH group and each optional NH2 group, calculated as two NH groups, of the first polymer is from 2 to 40. The present invention also relates to a polymer composition obtainable from that process and the use of such a polymer composition.