Efficiency increase of poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-isosorbide terephthalate) synthesis using bimetallic catalytic systems

Abstract

New catalytic systems are developed to increase the transesterification efficiency during the synthesis of poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-isosorbide terephthalate) with the aim of compensating for the lack of reactivity of the isosorbide and to reduce the coloration of the polymer. The combination of antimony oxide with a second metal (lithium-, magnesium-, or aluminium-based compounds) is investigated, leading to the discovery of innovative antimony-based bimetallic catalytic systems that exhibit a higher polymerization efficiency, even at high isosorbide contents (20%) and, in some cases, lower coloration. The combination of antimony oxide with a second nontoxic metal (Met2) (lithium, magnesium, or aluminium) leads to a higher efficiency in the catalyzed transesterification step in the synthesis of poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-isosorbide terephthalate). This allows the antimony content used in the synthesis to be decreased and coloration problems to be reduced. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.