Ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters in the presence of choline/SnOct 2 catalytic system

Abstract

Low-molecular weight poly(ε-caprolactone), polylactides, and copolymers of ε-caprolactone and lactide were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of cyclic monomers with choline (CHOL) as a initiator and SnOct 2 as a catalyst. Polymerization was conducted in bulk (120-160 °C) with high yield. Effects of temperature, reaction time, and CHOL dosage on the polymerization process were examined. Structure of products was characterized by means of MALDI-TOF, IR, and NMR. © The Author(s) 2011.