PROCESS FOR PRODUCING POLYETHER

摘要

A process by which a substituted epoxide whose polymerization to a high degree has been extremely difficult or impossible is easily polymerized to efficiently obtain a polyether having a high degree of polymerization. The process comprises polymerizing a substituted epoxide (excluding propylene oxide and epihalohydrins) by ring-opening polymerization in the presence of a rare earth metal compound represented by formula (I) and a reducing compound to obtain a polyether. In said formula, M represents a rare earth element selected among Sc, Y, and lanthanide metals, and L<1>, L<2> and L<3> each represents a ligand combining with oxygen.