PREPARATION OF POLYESTERS AND ESTERS FROM COMPOUNDS CONTAINING SECONDARY HYDROXYL GROUPS

摘要

A process for preparing a polyester from a polyol containing a secondary hydroxyl group in high yield and with an improved esterification rate is described. The process comprises reacting a polyol compound containing at least one secondary hydroxyl group with a polycarboxyl compound in the presence of at least one C1-C3 alkyltin compound. The C1-C3 alkyltin is selected from a C1-C3 alkyltin salt of a carboxylic acid, a C1-C3 alkyl stannoic acid, a C1-C3 alkyltin oxide, a C1-C3 alkyltin halide and a mixture thereof. The invention also relates to polyesters made by the above process which may be used in molded articles, fibers, coatings and adhesive formulations. The process of the invention can also be used for the preparation of an ester from a secondary alcohol. Thus, in another embodiment, the invention relates to a process for preparing esters which comprises reacting a carboxyl compound and a secondary alcohol in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of at least one C1-C3 alkyltin catalyst as described above.