NOVEL POLYOLS DERIVED FROM A VEGETABLE OIL USING AN OXIDATION PROCESS

摘要

A method for producing a vegetable oil-derived polyol having increased hydroxyl functionality by reacting a vegetable oil with an oxidizing agent i n the presence of an organometallic catalyst is provided. The resulting higher functionality polyols derived from vegetable oil produced by the process are also provided. Also provided is a method for decreasing the acid value of a vegetable oil-derived polyol by reacting the vegetable oil-derived polyol wi th an epoxide component in the presence of a Lewis base catalyst. Urethane products produced using higher functional vegetable oil-derived polyols and/ or lower acid vegetable oil-derived polyols are also provided.