Initiators for isocyanate reactions

Claim 2

A process for preparing a polyurethane foam from (A) an organic isocyanate containing an average of at least two isocyanate groups per molecule or mixture of such isocyanates with (B) a mixture of water and a polyol having at least two alkanol groups per molecule or a mixture of such polyols which comprises reacting (A) and (B) in the presence of (C) a volatile, low boiling solvent as an auxiliary blowing agent and (D) an ar-sulfonium areneoxide as a catalyst in an amount and under conditions sufficient to initiate the reaction between (A) and (B).

Claim 3

A process for preparing a polyurethane foam from (A) an organic isocyanate containing an average of at least two isocyanate groups per molecule or mixture of such isocyanates and (B) as a polyol, hydroxyl-containing component which is essentially free of water and which contains an average of at least two hydroxyl groups per molecule or a mixture of such components which comprises reacting components (A) and (B) in the presence of (C) a volatile, low boiling solvent as an auxilliary blowing agent and (D) an ar-sulfonium areneoxide as a catalyst in an amount and under conditions sufficient to initiate the reaction between (A) and (B).

Claim 4

A process for preparing a polyurethane foam from (A) an organic isocyanate containing an average of at least two isocyanate groups per molecule or mixture of such isocyanates and (B) as a polyol, hydroxyl-containing component which is essentially free of water and which contains an average of at least two hydroxyl groups per molecule or a mixture of such components which comprises reacting components (A) and (B) in the presence of (C) a volatile, low boiling solvent as an auxilliary blowing agent and (D) an ar-sulfonium areneoxide as a catalyst in an amount and under conditions sufficient to initiate the reaction between (A) and (B).

Claim 5

The process of claims 1 or 2 wherein (a) the polyol is an adduct of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or mixtures thereof with glycerine, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, trimethlolpropane, pentaerythritiol, sorbitol, sucrose or polymer/polyols based on polyether glycols or triols and (b) the organic isocyanate is 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, 1,3-bis(isocyanatomethyl)benzene, hexamethylene diisocyanate, 4,4,'-diisocyanatophenyl methane, 4,2'-diisocyanatophenyl methane 2,2'-diisocyanatophenyl methane, polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanates, or mixtures of any two or more of such organic isocyanates.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein the ar-sulfonium areneoxide is an ar-sulfonium areneoxide represented by the formula: ##STR23## wherein each Ar is independently a cyclic aromatic polyyl, each R is independently a suitable inert monovalent radical capable of existing as a substituent on Ar, each Z is independently a suitably inert divalent radical capable of bridging aromatic moieties such as Ar, each R 1 and each R 2 are independently suitably inert monovalent organic radicals and/or each R 1 and R 2 are collectively a suitable inert divalent organic radical capable of forming a heterocyclic ring with ##STR24## a is a positive integer corresponding to the remaining available positions on Ar, b is O or a positive integer from 1 to 5, and c is 0 or 1.

Claim 7

The process of claim 4 wherein each Ar is a polyyl of benzene, each R is independently H, Cl, Br, OH, R', --OR', --SR', ##STR25## wherein R' is hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl wherein the substituents are Cl, Br, --Or' or --SR'; each Z is independently --O--, --S--, ##STR26## --R 3 --, --Or 3 O--, --SR 3 S--, --R 3 O--, --R 3 S--and ##STR27## wherein R 3 is hydrocarbylene or substituted hydrocarbylene and the substituents are as defined for R; each R 1 and R 2 are individually hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl wherein the substituents are as defined in R, or each R 1 and R 2 are collectively hydrocarbylene, substituted hydrocarbylene, heterohydrocarbylene or substituted heterohydrocarbylene wherein the substituents are as defined in R provided that hydrocarbylene or heterohydrocarbylene are of length such that ##STR28## is a 5-to 7-membered ring; b is 0-5, and c is 1.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein each R is independently H, Cl or alkyl; each Z is independently alkylene, alkylidene, --S--, --O--or oxyalkyleneoxy, each R 1 and R 2 are individually alkyl or aryl or R 1 and R 2 are collectively alkylene provided that ##STR29## is a 5-membered ring and b is 0 or 1.

Claim 9

The process of claim 3 wherein the ar-sulfonium areneoxide is 4-tetrahydrothiophenium, 2-methylphenoxide, 4-tetrahydrothiophenium 2,6-dimethylphenoxide or 4-tetrahydrothiophenium phenoxide.