Abstract: The effects of organic ethers such as diethyl ether, ethylene glycol diethyl ether and diethyl glycol diethyl ether on the structure of double metal cyanide complex catalyst and the structural changes of such catalyst in the process of propylene oxide polymerization were investigated by EXAFS. The results show that Co in all DMC catalysts is still coordinated by six cyanogens, while Zn is coordinated by O atom in organic complex. The more numerous the number of the ether bond, the higher the coordination numbers of O to Zn ion, the more active the catalyst we make. Five or six O atoms coordinated Zn ion may be the real active center in the process of propylene oxide polymerization.

Key words: Double metal cyanide complex catalyst, Extended X-ray absorption fine structure, Local structure, Organic lagand, Active center