Polysiloxane polyether copolymers having (polyether)moieties comprising carbonate groups and their use as stabilizers for the production of polyurethane foams

1. A polysiloxane polyether copolymer comprising at least one polyether moiety, wherein said polysiloxane polyether copolymer is a compound of formula (I):

in which

n and n 1 are mutually independently from 0 to 500, (n+n 1 )≦500, m and m 1 are mutually independently from 0 to 60, (m+m 1 )≦60, k=0 to 50;

R=identical or non-identical moieties selected from the group consisting of linear, cyclic or branched, aliphatic or aromatic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon moieties having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms,

where

x′ is 0 or 1 and

R IV is a hydrocarbon moiety having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms;

R 1 is mutually independently R or R 3 or R 7 ;

R 2 is mutually independently R or R 3 or R 7 or a functional, saturated or unsaturated, organic moiety substituted with heteroatoms;

R 3 , being identical or different, is -Q l -X—(R 8 X—) w —(CH 2 —CH 2 O—) x —(CH 2 —CH(R′)O—) y —(C(O)—Y) p —R″

where

l=0 or 1;

X=O;

Y=O;

R Z =identical or different, H or alkyl moiety;

Q=divalent hydrocarbon moiety having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

R 8 , being identical or different, is a branched or unbranched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon moiety having, between the heteroatoms X connected by the hydrocarbon moiety, a carbon chain comprising at least 2 carbon atoms;

w=0 to 200;

x=0 or from 5 to 140;

y=0 or from 5 to 140;

p=2 to 10;

provided that the sum x+y≧5;

where the units provided with the indices w, x, y and p can have blockwise or random arrangement;

R′=identical or different alkyl or aryl group having a total of from 1 to 12 carbon atoms;

R″=is a —C(O)—R′″ group, where R′″ is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl moiety, a —CH 2 —O—R′ group, and alkylaryl group;

and

R 7 =crosslinking agent moiety;

with the proviso that at least one moiety R 3 is present in which the index p>0.

2. The polysiloxane polyether copolymer according to claim 1 , wherein n and n 1 are mutually independently from 3 to 147 and (n+n 1 )≦150, k is 0 or from 1 to 5, R 1 =R or R 3 , as set forth below,

R 2 =R or R 3 , as set forth below, or a chloropropyl, vinyl or methacryloxypropyl moiety, wherein at least one moiety R 3 , being identical or different, is -Q l -X—(R 8 X—) w —(CH 2 —CH 2 O—) x —(CH 2 —CH(R′)O—) y —(C(O)—Y) p —R″, where l=0 or l=1 and Q=—CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —;

R=a methyl moiety;

R 8 =a linear hydrocarbon moiety —C j H 2j —, where j=4 to 12;

w=0 or from 1 to 100;

x=0 or from 5 to 140;

y=0 or from 5 to 140;

p=from 2 to 10;

provided that the sum x+y≧5; and

R′=identical or different, a phenyl, methyl or ethyl group, and R″ is an acetyl moiety, with the proviso that at least one moiety R 3 is present.

3. A method of producing polyurethane foams, comprising reacting at least one polyol and at least one isocyanate compound in the presence of at least one polysiloxane polyether copolymer according to claim 1 .

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising CO 2 as a blowing agent.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said at least one polyol is a polyether carbonate polyol.

6. A polyurethane foam comprising at least one polysiloxane polyether copolymer according to claim 1 .