Prepolymers containing silyl groups, the production thereof and the use of the same in polyurethane foams

1. A composition including a prepolymer that comprises at least one group corresponding to general formula I:

—X-A-Si(Z) n (OR) 3−n   (I),

in which X is an optionally substituted hetero atom, A is a C 1-12 alkylene group, Z and R independently of one another represent —CH 3 or —CH 2 —CH 3 and n=0, 1 or 2,

and at least one group corresponding to general formula (II):

—N(R 1 )—C(O)—Y—R 2   (II),

in which R 1 is H or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-18 alkyl group, R 2 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkyl group or a group with the general formula R 3 —(O—CHR 4 —CHR 4 ) m- , where R 3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkylene group and the substituents R 4 independently of one another represent H or a linear or branched C 1-4 alkyl group, m is a number of 1 to 1,000 and Y is O, S or NR 2 , where R 2 is as defined above, and the total number of functional groups I and II in the prepolymer is more than 2, wherein the prepolymer has a polymer backbone based on polymeric MDI or an aniline/formaldehyde condensate; and

one or more blowing agents.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer backbone contains at least one Ar-L-Ar linked aromatic group, where Ar is an aryl group and L is a covalent bond, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-6 alkylene group, a C 5-12 cycloalkylene group, a C 4-12 arylene group or heteroarylene group or an isocyanurate, allophanate, urea, biuret, uretdione, carbodiimide or ketone imine group.

3. The prepolymer of claim 1 having a molecular weight of 4,000 or less.

4. The prepolymer of claim 1 having a molecular weight of more than 4,000.

5. The prepolymer of claim 1 having a polymer backbone based on polymeric MDI.

6. A composition including:

a prepolymer that comprises at least one group corresponding to general formula I:

—X-A-Si(Z) n (OR) 3−n   (I),

in which X is an optionally substituted hetero atom, A is a C 1-12 alkylene group, Z and R independently of one another represent —CH 3 or —CH 2 —CH 3 and n=0, 1 or 2, and

at least one group corresponding to general formula (II):

—N(R 1 )—C(O)—Y—R 2   (II),

in which R 1 is H or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-18 alkyl group, R 2 is a linear or branched , saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkyl group or a group with the general formula R 3 —(O—CHR 4 —CHR 4 ) m —, where R 3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkylene group and the substituents R 4 independently of one another represent H or a linear or branched C 1-4 alkyl group, m is a number of 1 to 1,000 and Y is O, S or NR 2 , where R 2 is as defined above, and the total number of functional groups I and II in the prepolymer is more than 2, wherein the prepolymer has a polymer backbone based on polymeric MDI or an aniline/formaldehyde condensate; and

one or more blowing agents;

wherein the composition is foamable and cures to a foam and has one or more of the following properties:

a)

tack-free time (TAT):

5-60 minutes

b)

density:

15-200 g/l

c)

compressive stress

2 to 10 N/cm 2

at 10% compression (DIN 53421):

d)

cure time:

10 mins.-8 hours

e)

foam structure:

fine to medium cells

f)

burning behavior (DIN 4102):

fire class B2 or B3.

7. A process for the production of an adhesive or assembly foam comprising the steps of mixing one or more blowing agents with at least one prepolymer which contains at least one group corresponding to general formula I:

—X-A-Si(Z) n (OR) 3−n   (I),

in which X is an optionally substituted hetero atom, A is a C 1-12 alkylene group, Z and R independently of one another represent —CH 3 or —CH 2 —CH 3 and n=0, 1 or 2,

and at least one group corresponding to general formula (II):

—N(R 1 )—C(O)—Y—R 2   (II),

in which R 1 is H or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-18 alkyl group, R 2 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkyl group or a group with the general formula R 3 —(O—CHR 4 —CHR 4 ) m —, where R 3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1-44 alkylene group and the substituents R 4 independently of one another represent H or a linear or branched C 1-4 alkyl group, m is a number of 1 to 1,000 and Y is O, S or NR 2 , where R 2 is as defined above, and the total number of functional groups I and II in the prepolymer is more than 2, wherein the prepolymer has a polymer backbone based on polymeric MDI or an aniline/formaldehyde condensate.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the prepolymer has a polymer backbone based on polymeric MDI.