Hydrolytically Stable Urethane Foam Precursors

The following examples illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope thereof except as defined in the accompanying claims.

Bis(methoxymethyl)tin dichloride was prepared by heating a mixture containing powdered tin metal (120 g.) and chloromethyl methyl ether (300 cc.) to reflux temperature for two hours. A flow of nitrogen and agitation were continued throughout the course of the reaction. The resultant mixture was filtered while hot. A solid precipitated as the filtrate cooled to ambient temperature. The solid material was isolated, washed with 100-200 cc. of diethyl ether and dried to yield 82.1 g. of a solid melting between 95.degree.-97.degree. C. This solid was washed twice with cold ether, recrystallized from benzene and finally washed with pentane to yield 51.8 g. of a tan solid melting between 99.degree. and 102.degree. C. An additional 63.5 g. of a white solid melting between 99.degree. and 102.degree. C. was obtained following recrystallization from benzene of the gray solid present in the initial reaction mixture. This recrystallized material was washed with pentane and dried prior to being weighed. Upon analysis, the combined solids were found to contain 42.64% tin and 25.43% chlorine. The calculated concentrations of tin and chlorine in bis (methoxymethyl)tin dichloride are 42.43% and 25.35%, respectively.

Bis(methoxymethyl)tin oxide was prepared by reacting bis(methoxymethyl)tin dichloride (14.0 g.) dissolved in 50 cc. of methanol with a solution containing 4.0 g. of sodium hydroxide and 75 cc. of methanol containing a few drops of water. The solution of sodium hydroxide was added over a 15 minute period during which the temperature of the reaction mixture was maintained below 10.degree. C. A white solid began to precipitate when the addition of sodium hydroxide was about half completed. Following completion of the addition the resultant mixture was allowed to remain at ambient temperature for 1/2 hour, after which the white solid in the reaction vessel was recovered, washed with cold (0.degree. C.) methanol and dried under reduced pressure to yield 3.7 g. of material that did not melt below 300.degree. C. The liquid phase of the initial reaction mixture was evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure, and the resultant solid washed with cold (0.degree. C.) methanol and dried to yield 6.9 g. of a white solid that did not melt below 300.degree. C. The solid was washed with deonized water to remove soluble chlorides, then dried under reduced pressure. Upon analysis the combined products were found to contain 51.61% by weight of tin. The calculated tin content for bis(methoxymethyl)tin oxide is 52.80%.

Bis(methoxymethyl)tin diacetate was prepared by reacting bis(methoxymethyl)tin dichloride (7.0 g.) with 10.8 g. of silver acetate using 100 cc. of chloroform as a diluent. The resultant mixture was heated to the boiling point (63.degree. C.) under a nitrogen atmosphere for one hour in a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer and a reflux condenser. After it had cooled to ambient temperature, the mixture was filtered and the solid phase washed with 400 cc. of chloroform. The combined filtrates were evaporated to dryness to give a brown oil weighing 7.3 g. which solidified to a crystalline mass at room temperature. The product was found to contain 38.27% by weight of tin and 35.96% of acetate radical ##STR1## The calculated values of tin and acetate content for bis(methoxymethyl)tin diacetate are 36.31% and 36.12%, respectively.

The methyltin compounds evaluated as gel catalysts are either commercially available or were prepared from trimethyltin chloride or dimethyltin dichloride using known synthetic procedures.

This example demonstrates the use of the bis (methoxymethyl)tin compounds disclosed in Example 1 as gel catalysts for preparing flexible polyurethane foams. Each gel catalyst was added to the formulation as an aqueous solution containing 10% by weight of catalyst. The solution containing bis(methoxymethyl)tin dichloride showed no evidence of hydrolysis, as indicated by the absence of solid material, after remaining undisturbed for one week under ambient conditions.

The foams were prepared by combining 2.0 parts by weight of the aforementioned gel catalyst solution, 22.5 parts of a mixture containing 80% by weight of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate and 20% by weight of 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate and 50.8 parts of a precursor or master batch containing 50 parts of a glycerine-based polyoxypropylene triol having a molecular weight of 3000, 0.5 part of a polysiloxane type of surfactant, 0.15 part of N-ethyl morpholine and 0.15 part of a 33% solution of triethylene diamine in dipropylene glycol. The gel catalysts evaluated were bis(methoxymethyl)tin dichloride, bis(methoxymethyl)tin oxide and bis(methoxymethyl)tin diacetate. The time interval between combining of the reagents and completion of foam formation, conventionally referred to as the rise time, was between 90 and about 200 seconds for each of the formulations tested. The size, density and color of the foams were similar to those of a foam prepared by replacing the aforementioned aqueous gel catalyst solution with 0.15 part dioctyl phthalate, 0.15 part stannous octoate and 1.75 parts of water. The water and stannous octoate were added as separate components to the formulation, since stannous octoate is known to decompose rapidly in the presence of even trace amounts of water.

All of the foams passed the "Dry Heat Test" as described in the American Society for Testing of Materials procedure D-1654-64-A, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Flexible polyurethane foams were prepared as described in the preceeding Example 2. The precursor contained 100 parts of the same polyoxypropylene triol, 3.5 parts of water, 1.0 part of a polysiloxane surfactant, 0.3 part N-ethyl morpholine and 0.3 part of a 33% solution of triethylene diamine in dipropylene glycol. To 52.5 parts of this precursor was added 20 parts of the tolylene diisocyanate mixture described in Example 2 together with 0.15 g. of dimethyltin dichloride. The resultant mixture was stirred rapidly for 10 seconds to obtain a homogeneous system and was then allowed to rise. The rise time was 113 seconds. The resultant foam passed the Dry Heat Test referred to in Example 2.

Rigid foams were prepared using the following formulation:

Each of the foregoing ingredients was separately added to a reaction vessel together with 1.0 part of dimethyltin dichloride as a solution in 1.0 part of water. The rise time was 62.9 seconds. A foam prepared from the same formulation using 1.0 part of dibutyltin dilaurate, a conventional gel catalyst for rigid polyurethane foams, required 71 seconds to rise.

This example compares the hydrolytic stability of flexible urethane foam precursors containing the present methyl and methoxymethyltin compounds with precursors containing prior art catalysts, including stannous 2-ethylhexoate and dibutyltin dichloride.

Each of the formulations evaluated contained 100.0 parts by weight of a glycerine-based polyoxypropylene triol exhibiting a molecular weight of 3000, 1.0 part of a polysiloxane type of surfactant, 0.3 part of N-ethyl morpholine, 0.3 part of a 33% by weight solution of triethylene diamine in dipropylene glycol, 3.5 parts of water and 0.4 part catalyst as specified in the accompanying table. Stannous 2-ethylhexoate was added as a solution in the polyol. Polyurethane foams were prepared by combining 45.0 parts of a mixture containing 80% by weight of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate and 20% of the 2,6-isomer with 105.5 parts of each of the formulations, following which the formulation was stirred at high speed for a few seconds then poured into a container and allowed to rise. The cream and rise times were noted. A portion of each formulation was reacted with isocyanate shortly after being prepared. A second portion was allowed to stand for twelve days under ambient conditions before being reacted with the isocyanate to determine whether the water in the formulation adversely affected the catalyst, as evidenced by a significant increase in the cream and rise times. These values are recorded in the accompanying table.

The data in the table demonstrate that stannous 2-ethylhexoate loses activity when in contact with water. Dibutyltin dichloride could not be dissolved in the formulation, yet dimethyltin dichloride was soluble and proved to be a useful catalyst. The present class of methyl- and methoxymethyltin compounds are unique by virtues of their solubility in water and the fact that these compounds do not lose activity when stored for extended periods of time in contact with formulations containing water.