Double-metal cyanide catalysts which can be used to prepare polyols and the processes related thereto

1. A process for preparing a polyol comprising combining

i) at least one starter compound which has active hydrogen atoms; with

ii) at least one oxide;

in the presence of

iii) at least one double-metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst prepared by combining at least one metal salt, at least one metal cyanide salt, at least one organic complexing ligand, at least one alkali metal salt, chosen from potassium chloride, sodium chloride, sodium bromide, lithium chloride and lithium bromide, and optionally, at least one functionalized polymer, under conditions sufficient to form a catalyst; and adding a sufficient amount of the at least one alkali metal salt to the catalyst so formed in an amount such that the catalyst includes the at least one alkali metal salt in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 6 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst;

under conditions sufficient to form a polyol.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol is a polyether polyol.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol is a polyester polyol.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polyol is a polyetherester polyol.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one metal salt is chosen from zinc chloride, zinc bromide, zinc acetate, zinc acetylacetonate, zinc benzoate, zinc nitrate, zinc propionate, zinc formate, iron(II) sulfate, iron(II) bromide, cobalt(II) chloride, cobalt(II) thiocyanate, nickel(II) formate, nickel(II) nitrate and mixtures thereof.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one metal cyanide salt is chosen from potassium hexacyanocobaltate (III), potassium hexacyanoferrate(II), potassium hexacyanoferrate(III), lithium hexacyanoiridate(III), lithium hexacyanocobaltate(III), sodium hexacyanocobaltate(III) and cesium hexacyanocobaltate(III).

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one organic complexing ligand is chosen from ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, iso-butanol, sec-butanol and tert-butyl alcohol.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one functionalized polymer is present in an amount in the range of from about 2 to about 98 wt. %, based on the total weight of the double-metal cyanide catalyst.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one functionalized polymer is a polyether; polyester; polycarbonate; polyalkylene glycol sorbitan ester; polyalkylene glycol glycidyl ether; polyacrylamide; poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid), polyacrylic acid, poly(acrylic acid-co-maleic acid), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-acrylic acid), poly(acrylic acid-co-styrene) or their salts; maleic acid, styrene or maleic anhydride copolymers or their salts; polyacrylonitriles; polyalkyl acrylate; polyalkyl methacrylate; polyvinyl methyl ether; polyvinyl ethyl ether; polyvinyl acetate; polyvinyl alcohol; poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone; polyvinyl methyl ketone; poly(4-vinylphenol); oxazoline polymer; polyalkyleneimine; hydroxyethyl-cellulose; polyacetal; glycidyl ether; glycoside; carboxylic acid ester of polyhydric alcohol; bile acid or its salt, ester or amide; cyclodextrin; phosphorus compound; unsaturated carboxylic acid ester; or an ionic surface- or interface-active compound.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one starter compound is chosen from polyoxypropylene polyols, polyoxyethylene polyols, polytetatramethylene ether glycols, glycerol, propoxylated glycerols, tripropylene glycol, alkoxylated allylic alcohols, bisphenol A, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, sucrose, degraded starch, water and mixtures thereof.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one oxide is chosen from ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide and mixtures thereof.