Reduction of molecular weight of poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol

摘要

A process for reducing the molecular weight of polytetramethylene ether glycol without significant conversion of polytetramethylene ether glycol to tetrahydrofuran monomer is disclosed. The process involves a two-step procedure. The first step comprises reacting polytetramethylene ether glycol with a perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid to form a perfluoroalkyl ester of polytetramethylene ether glycol. That ester is, in the second step, converted back to polytetramethylene ether glycol of reduced molecular weight by hydrolysis or alcoholysis.