Polyalkylene glycol-based poly(ester-amide) polymers, methods of making and methods of using same, compositions and products comprising same

1. A polyether poly(ester-amide) block copolymer comprising at least one structure selected from the group consisting of structure I, structure II, structure III, structure IV, structure V and structure VI:

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O,

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH; and

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

x=ethylene oxide (EO) groups;

y=ethylene oxide (EO) groups where R 3 ═H;

or y=propylene oxide (PO) groups where R 3 ═CH 3 ; and

R 3 ═H for (EO), or CH 3 for (PO);

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy) moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1; and

x=15;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater; and

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

R 4 ═H for (EO), or CH 3 for (PO);

x=ethylene oxide (EO) groups; and

y=ethylene oxide (EO) groups where R 4 ═H;

or y=propylene oxide (PO) groups where R 4 ═CH 3 ;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1; and

x=15.

2. The copolymer of claim 1 comprising a weight average molecular weight of between 10,000 and 40,000, as measured using gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene as reference standards.

3. The copolymer of claim 1 comprising poly(alkyleneoxy) (PAO)-containing components in the range of about 20-50 wt %.

4. The copolymer of claim 1 comprising a softening point between 60° C. and 180° C., and formed from a reaction mixture comprising: i) a diacid, ii) a diamine, and iii) a poly(alkyleneoxy)polyol, wherein said diacid is selected from the group consisting of polymerized fatty, cyclohexane dicarboxylic acids, and any combination thereof, and wherein said diamine is selected from the group consisting of short chain aliphatic diamines having 2-6 carbons, poly(alkyleneoxy)diamines, and any combination thereof.

5. The copolymer of claim 4 wherein said reactants further comprise one or more monofunctional compound(s) reactive with carboxylic acid or amine groups, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure II, structure III, structure V and structure VI.

6. The copolymer of claim 4 wherein said diacid is polymerized fatty acid, wherein said diamine is a short chain aliphatic diamine having 2-6 carbons, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure I, structure II and structure III.

7. The copolymer of claim 4 wherein said diacid is a cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, wherein said diamine is a poly(alkyleneoxy)diamine, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure IV, structure V and structure VI.

8. A composition comprising a) a copolymer of claim 1 , and b) a compound, where the compound is a liquid at room temperature in neat form.

9. The composition of claim 8 wherein said composition is a gel.

10. The composition of claim 8 wherein the compound comprises at least one chemical group selected from ester, ether, halogen, carbonate and sulfoxide.

11. A process for preparing a block copolymer comprising reacting together reactants comprising: i) a diacid, ii) a diamine, and iii) a poly(alkyleneoxy)polyol, wherein said diacid is selected from the group consisting of polymerized fatty, cyclohexane dicarboxylic acids, and any combination thereof, and wherein said diamine is selected from the group consisting of short chain aliphatic diamines having 2-6 carbons, poly(alkyleneoxy)diamines, and any combination thereof, wherein the block copolymer includes (—O—R 2 —O—) groups and (—NH—R 2 —NH—) groups and the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) groups to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) groups is 3 to 1.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein said block copolymer comprises at least one structure selected from the group consisting of structure I, structure IL structure III, structure IV, structure V and structure VI:

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O,

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH; and

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

x=ethylene oxide (EO) groups;

y=ethylene oxide (EO) groups where R 3 ═H;

or y=propylene oxide (PO) groups where R 3 ═CH 3 ; and

R 3 ═H for (EO), or CH 3 for (PO);

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy) moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1; and

x=15;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z═O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z═O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater; and

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z=O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z=O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1;

R 4 ═H for (EO), or CH 3 for (PO);

x=ethylene oxide (EO) groups; and

y=ethylene oxide (EO) groups where R 4 ═H;

or y=propylene oxide (PO) groups where R 4 ═CH 3 ;

wherein R 1 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

Z=O or NH;

R 2 =poly(alkyleneoxy)moiety if Z=O;

or R 2 =2-12 carbon straight chain or branched alkyl moiety if Z═NH;

R 3 =polymerized fatty acid, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated;

or R 3 =cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, such that the ratio of polymerized fatty acid to CHDA is 5 to 1 or greater;

n=20, such that the ratio of (—O—R 2 —O—) to (—NH—R 2 —NH—) is 3 to 1; and x=15.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein said poly(alkyleneoxy)polyol is at least one selected from the group consisting of di-, tri-, tetra-ethylene glycols, di-, tri-, tetra-propylene glycol, di-, tri-, tetra-butylene glycols, and higher molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol)s, poly(propylene glycol)s, poly(butylenes glycol)s, mixed poly(ethyleneoxy-co-propyleneoxy)glycol polymers, and any combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said reactants further comprise one or more monofunctional compound(s) reactive with carboxylic acid or amine groups, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure II, structure III, structure V and structure VI.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein said diacid is polymerized fatty acid, wherein said diamine is a short chain aliphatic diamine having 2-6 carbons, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure I, structure II and structure III.

16. The process of claim 13 wherein said diacid is a cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, wherein said diamine is a poly(alkyleneoxy)diamine, and wherein said at least one structure is selected from the group consisting of structure IV, structure V and structure VI.

17. A method for preparing a gel comprising combining at elevated temperature a copolymer of claim 1 with a liquid having hydroxyl and/or ether functionality to provide a mixture, and allowing the mixture to cool to room temperature to form a gel.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a copolymer of claim 1 .

19. The article of claim 18 formulated as any one or more of the group consisting of a fragrance stick, an air freshener, a fragrance gel, a personal care product comprising at least one physiologically acceptable oil, and any combination thereof.

20. The article of claim 18 further comprising at least one of the group consisting of surfactants, colorants, fragrances, and any combination thereof.