Process for alkoxylation in the presence of rare earth triflimides

摘要

Disclosed is a process for making alkoxylates of organic compounds. The process requires a) providing an active hydrogen organic compound having 1 to 22 carbon atoms and b) alkoxylating the organic compound with an alkylene oxide in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a rare earth triflimide of the following formula:wherein X is a lanthanide; R1, R2, and R3 each being independently a triflimide group of the following formula:wherein Z is CnF2n+1; C being a carbon atom; F being a fluorine atom; and n being an integer from 1 to 15.