Issue 19, 2018

Copolymerization of cyclic esters, epoxides and anhydrides: evidence of the dual role of the monomers in the reaction mixture

Abstract

A bimetallic salen aluminum complex (1), where salen is N,N-bis(4,6-di-tert-butyl salicylaldimine)-1,3-propylendiamine, was tested as a catalyst for the ring opening polymerization (ROP) and copolymerization (ROCOP) of cyclic esters, such as L-lactide (L-LA), ε-caprolactone (ε-CL), and β-butyrolactone (β-BL) with different heterocyclic substrates, such as cyclohexene oxide (CHO) and succinic anhydride (SA). Copolymers ranging from gradient to blocky structures were obtained from the copolymerization of the different couples of lactones. In the copolymerization of CHO with a cyclic ester, block polyether-co-polyesters were prepared by sequential monomer addition while polyesters were obtained, as exclusive products, when both monomers were simultaneously present in the reaction medium. From a mixture of three different monomers: CHO, SA and a cyclic ester, block copolyesters derived from two different catalytic processes, ROCOP of CHO/SA followed by ROP of the lactone, were instead produced. Surprisingly, a perfect selectivity was observed in the CHO/SA copolymerization without any addition of a cocatalyst; this suggested that the lactone comonomer could act as an endogen cocatalyst.

Graphical abstract: Copolymerization of cyclic esters, epoxides and anhydrides: evidence of the dual role of the monomers in the reaction mixture

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
06 Jun 2018
Accepted
28 Aug 2018
First published
30 Aug 2018

Catal. Sci. Technol., 2018,8, 5034-5043

Copolymerization of cyclic esters, epoxides and anhydrides: evidence of the dual role of the monomers in the reaction mixture

F. Isnard, M. Carratù, M. Lamberti, V. Venditto and M. Mazzeo, Catal. Sci. Technol., 2018, 8, 5034 DOI: 10.1039/C8CY01174E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements