| Abstract: | ![]()
Polymerization of ε-caprolactone catalyzed by dibutylzine and triisobutylaluminum has been examined. Monomer conversion and polymer molecular weight increase simultaneously during the polymerization suggesting a living polymer system. Also, molecular weight is proportional to the reciprocal of catalyst concentration. However, the polymer molecular weights are three to five times that which would be calculated from the catalyst concentration assuming a living polymer system. In addition, fractionation of poly-ε-caprolactone prepared with dibutylzinc revealed that the distribution is considerably broader than expected for a Poisson distribution. While no mechanistic explanation for the broad molecular weight distribution observed has been defined, examination of the metal alkyl-catalyzed polylactones shows that the molecular weight distributions can and do change with time. This change is due to an ester interchange process occurring subsequent to polymerization. This phenomenon can be used to change the molecular weight distribution from very broad to the most probable distribution. |
