ABSTRACT
Silicone (or siloxane) polyether copolymers are commonly composed of a silicone polymer component chemically combined with one or more organic polyether components. This chapter presents the synthesis of such silicone polyether copolymers. The most common commercial preparation of silicone polyether copolymers with hydrolytically stable silicon-carbon bonds involves a three-step process: preparation of a siloxane hydride intermediate, preparation of an allyloxy polyether intermediate, and hydrosilylation of the second compound with the first to form the final copolymer. The hydridosiloxanes can be directly utilized as intermediates in the preparation of silicone polyether copolymers. More commonly they are used in the preparation of silicon hydride/dimethyl siloxane containing copolymers, which are subsequently further processed into the final silicone polyether. During the polymerization process, side reactions occur that have an impact on the final polymer properties and lead to limitations, hence must be considered in any assessment of the activity of the resulting silicone polyether copolymer.
