One-pot synthesis of high-molecular-weight aliphatic polycarbonates via melt transesterification of diphenyl carbonate and diols using Zn(OAc)2 as a catalyst

Abstract

A simple and efficient route for one-pot synthesis of high-molecular-weight aliphatic polycarbonates (APCs) by direct melt transesterification of diphenyl carbonate (DPC) with aliphatic diols at equimolar amounts was developed. Zn(OAc)₂ was found to be the best catalyst for this reaction among the screened transition metal acetates. The effects of reaction conditions on M_w and yield of the poly(1,4-butylene carbonate) (PBC) were investigated, where the highest M_w of 156 200 g mol⁻¹ with a yield of 83% was obtained under suitable reaction conditions. In addition, based on the results of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), a plausible reaction mechanism over Zn(OAc)₂ was proposed for APC synthesis.