The effect of water in the reaction of glycol-ethylene oxide system was examined and it was found that the increase in the amount of water added resulted in the increase of amount of glycol formed.
Addition of amines to the glycol-water-ethylene oxide or water-ethylene oxide system resulted in a remarkable catalytic action, the component of the products showing an increase in the amount of di-, tri- and tetraethylene-glycois formed, compared to the non-addition of amines. This phenomenon was considered from the point of reaction mechanism. In this case, alkalines possess the same trend of catalytic action but do not give as good an yield as the amines. The strength of catalytic action is approximately proportional to the alkalinity. Amines, therefore, are more advantageous as industrial catalyst in the manufacture of polyethyleneglycol since they do not corrode the installations.