1,4‐Addition polymerization of 1,4‐bis(4‐benzylpyridinium)butadiyne triflate in a dipolar aprotic solvent

1,4‐Bis(4‐benzylpyridinium)butadiyne triflate was aggregated in dimethylformamide and spontaneously converted into the 1,4‐addition type of polydiacetylene. The polymerization took place in a dipolar aprotic solvent with a large dielectric constant that could enhance the aggregation of the ionic diacetylene salt through the electrostatic interaction. The molecular weight of the diacetylene was leveled off after 30 h at 80 °C to reach 1.5 × 10⁴ (number‐average molecular weight) that consisted of the 1,4‐addition type of polydiacetylene similar to polydiacetylenes obtained in the conventional solid‐state polymerization. Electron spin resonance spectra revealed that diradicals were generated at the earlier state aggregation to give rise to a solution polymerization. The UV spectra also suggested the presence of the activated aggregation associated with the polymerization as well as the eximer emission spectra. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3534–3541, 2002     

High‐temperature elastomers from silarylene‐siloxane‐diacetylene linear polymers

The syntheses and characterization of linear silarylene‐siloxane‐diacetylene polymers 3a–c and their thermal conversion to crosslinked elastomeric materials 4a–c are discussed. Inclusion of the diacetylene unit required synthesis of an appropriate monomeric species. 1,4‐Bis(dimethylaminodimethylsilyl)butadiyne [(CH₃)₂N? Si(CH₃)₂? C?C? C?C? (CH₃)₂Si? N(CH₃)₂] 2 was prepared from 1,4‐dilithio‐1,3‐butadiyne and 2 equiv of dimethylaminodimethylchlorosilane. The linear polymers were prepared via polycondensation of 2 with a series of disilanol prepolymers. The low molecular weight silarylene‐siloxane prepolymers 1a–c (terminated by hydroxyl groups) were synthesized via solution condensation of an excess amount of 1,4‐bis(hydroxydimethylsilyl)benzene with bis(dimethylamino)dimethylsilane. The linear polymers were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and DSC. The elastomers exhibited long‐term oxidative stability up to 330 °C in air as determined by TGA. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 88–94, 2002     

Photocurable and thermally stable polymers based on 1,4‐pentadien‐3‐one‐1‐p‐hydroxyphenyl‐5‐p‐phenyl methacrylate: Copolymerization with ethyl acrylate

1,4‐Pentadien‐3‐one‐1,5‐bis(p‐hydroxyphenyl) (PBHP) was prepared by reacting p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and acetone in the presence of an acid catalyst. 1,4‐Pentadiene‐3‐one‐1‐p‐hydroxyphenyl‐5‐p‐phenyl methacrylate (PHPPMA) monomer was prepared by reacting PBHP dissolved in ethyl methyl ketone (EMK) with methacryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine. A free‐radical solution polymerization technique was used for synthesizing homo‐ and copolymers of different feed compositions of PHPPMA and ethyl acrylate (EA) in EMK as a solvent with benzoyl peroxide as a free‐radical initiator at 70 ± 1 °C. All the polymers were characterized with IR and ¹H NMR techniques. The compositions of the copolymers were determined with the ¹H NMR technique. The copolymer reactivity ratios were evolved with Kelen–Tudos (EA = 1.25 and PHPPMA = 0.09) and extended Kelen–Tudos (EA = 1.30 and PHPPMA = 0.09) methods. Q (0.48) and e (1.68) values for the new monomer (PHPPMA) were calculated with the Alfrey–Price method. UV absorption spectra for poly(PHPPMA) showed two absorption bands at 302 and 315 nm. The photocrosslinking properties of the polymer samples were examined with the solvent method. Thermal analyses of the polymers were performed with the thermogravimetric‐differential thermogravimetric technique. First, the decomposition temperatures started for poly(PHPPMA), copoly(EA‐PHPPMA) (62:38), and copoly(EA‐PHPPMA) (41:59) were at 350, 410, and 417 °C, respectively. A gel permeation chromatographic method was used for determining the polymer molecular weights (weight‐average molecular weight: 2.67 × 10⁴ and number‐average molecular weight: 1.41 × 10⁴) and polydispersity index (1.89). The solubility of the monomer and the copolymers occurred at 30 °C with solvents having different polarities. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1632–1640, 2003     

New biodegradable polymers from renewable sources: Polyester‐carbonates based on 1,3‐propylene‐co‐1,4‐cyclohexanedimethylene succinate

α,ω‐Dihydroxy‐terminated copolymeric oligomers of a 1,3‐propylene/1,4‐cyclohexanedimethylene succinate structure were obtained by the thermal polycondensation of 1,3‐propanediol/1,4‐cyclohexanedimethanol/succinic acid mixtures. They were subsequently chain‐extended via phosgene synthesis to high molecular weight aliphatic/alicyclic copolyester‐carbonates. These new polymers, besides having a biodegradable backbone, originate from two monomers, namely, 1,3‐propanediol and succinic acid, which can be obtained by renewable sources. Therefore, they have a potential as environmentally friendly materials. All synthesized materials were characterized in reference to their molecular structure by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. Their molecular weights and molecular weight distributions were determined by size exclusion chromatography, and their main thermal properties were measured by DSC. Spectroscopic characterizations were in full agreement with the proposed structures. 1,4‐Cyclohexanedimethanol was used as a diol comonomer to improve the overall thermal properties of poly(1,3‐propylene succinate). The results of the characterization performed show that the initial expectations were only partially satisfied. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2508–2519, 2001     

Synthesis and properties of fluorinated polyimides based on 1,4‐bis(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)‐2,5‐di‐tert‐butylbenzene and various aromatic dianhydrides

A novel fluorinated diamine monomer, 1,4‐bis(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)‐2,5‐di‐tert‐butylbenzene ( 2 ), was prepared through the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride and 2,5‐di‐tert‐butylhydroquinone in the presence of potassium carbonate, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. Fluorinated polyimides ( 5a – 5f ) were synthesized from diamine 2 and various aromatic dianhydrides ( 3a – 3f ) via thermal or chemical imidization. These polymers had inherent viscosities of 0.77–1.01 dL/g. The 5 series polyimides were soluble in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and N,N‐dimethylformamide and were even soluble in dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and dichloromethane. 5 (C) showed cutoff wavelengths between 363 and 404 nm and yellowness index (b*) values of 6.5–40.2. The polyimide films had tensile strengths of 93–114 MPa, elongations to break of 9–12%, and initial moduli of 1.7–2.1 GPa. The glass‐transition temperatures were 255–288 °C. The temperatures of 10% weight loss were all above 460 °C in air or nitrogen atmospheres. In comparison with a nonfluorinated polyimide series based on 1,4‐bis(4‐aminophenoxy)‐2,5‐di‐tert‐butylbenzene, the 5 series showed better solubility and lower color intensity, dielectric constants, and moisture absorption. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2272–2284, 2004     

Stereospecific and molecular weight‐controlled polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene with Co(acac)3‐MAO catalyst

The polymerization of butadiene (Bd) with Co(acac)₃ in combination with methylaluminoxane (MAO) was investigated. The polymerization of Bd with Co(acac)₃‐MAO catalysts proceeded to give cis‐1,4 polymers (94 – 97%) bearing high molecular weights (40 × 10⁴) with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w's/M_n's). The molecular weight of the polymers increased linearly with the polymer yield, and the line passed through an original point. The polydispersities of the polymers kept almost constant during reaction time. This indicates that the microstructure and molecular weight of the polymers can be controlled in the polymerization of Bd with the Co(acac)₃‐MAO catalyst. The effects of reaction temperature, Bd concentration, and the MAO/Co molar ratio on the cis‐1,4 microstructure and high molecular weight polymer in the polymerization of Bd with Co(acac)₃‐MAO catalyst were observed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2793–2798, 2001     

Synthesis and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of starch‐g‐poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) copolymers

A new biodegradable starch graft copolymer, starch‐g‐poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one), was synthesized through the ring‐opening graft polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one onto a starch backbone. The grafting reactions were conducted with various 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one/starch feed ratios to obtain starch‐g‐poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) copolymers with various poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) graft structures. The microstructure of starch‐g‐poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) was characterized in detail with one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR spectroscopy. The effect of the feed composition on the resulting microstructure of starch‐g‐poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) was investigated. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3417–3422, 2004     

Chain composition dependence of luminescence properties for copolymers of 2‐methoxy‐5‐2′‐ethyl‐hexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene and 2,3‐diphenyl‐5‐octyl‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene

The copolymers of 2‐methoxy‐5‐2′‐ethyl‐hexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene (MEH‐PV) and 2,3‐diphenyl‐5‐octyl‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene were prepared via the Gilch route with their chain compositions and the reactivity ratios of the monomers estimated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The results indicated that the copolymers tended to form an alternative copolymer as the feed ratio of the monomers closed to one‐half. When an individual copolymer solution in tetrahydrofuran was spun‐cast to form a film, the MEH‐PV units were able to attract the like units from the adjacent chains. As a result, the ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum of the alternative copolymer in film form was broader than the spectra of those with different compositions. The photoluminescence spectra of the copolymers in film form exhibited the characteristic shoulder of poly(2‐methoxy‐5‐2′‐ethyl‐hexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene), even though the content of MEH‐PV units was not great enough for the formation of repeat units in sequence. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2180–2186, 2003     

Ring‐opening polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one initiated by lanthanum isopropoxide in bulk

Lanthanum isopropoxide (La(OiPr)₃) has been synthesized and employed for ring‐opening polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one in bulk as a single‐component initiator. The influences of reaction conditions such as initiator concentration, reaction time, and reaction temperature on the polymerization were investigated. The kinetics indicated that the polymerization is first‐order with respect to the monomer concentration. The Mechanistic investigations according to ¹H NMR spectrum analysis demonstrated that the polymerization of PDO proceeded through a coordination‐insertion mechanism with a rupture of the acyl‐oxygen bond of the monomer rather than the alkyl‐oxygen bond cleavage. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5214–5222, 2008     

Construction and photoluminescence properties of a three‐dimensional ZnII coordination network based on naphthalene‐1,4‐dicarboxylic acid and 1,6‐bis(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐hexatriene

In recent years, coordination polymers constructed from multidentate carboxylate and pyridyl ligands have attracted much attention because these ligands can adopt a rich variety of coordination modes and thus lead to the formation of crystalline products with intriguing structures and interesting properties. A new coordination polymer, namely poly[[μ₂‐1,6‐bis(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐hexatriene‐κ²N:N′](μ₃‐naphthalene‐1,4‐dicarboxylato‐κ⁴O¹,O^1′:O⁴:O^4′)zinc(II)], [Zn(C₁₂H₆O₄)(C₁₆H₁₄N₂)]_n, has been prepared by the self‐assembly of Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, naphthalene‐1,4‐dicarboxylic acid (1,4‐H₂ndc) and 1,6‐bis(pyridin‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐hexatriene (3,3′‐bphte) under hydrothermal conditions. The title compound has been structurally characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, powder X‐ray diffraction and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Each Zn^II ion is six‐coordinated by four O atoms from three 1,4‐ndc²⁻ ligands and by two N atoms from two 3,3′‐bphte ligands, forming a distorted octahedral ZnO₄N₂ coordination geometry. Pairs of Zn^II ions are linked by 1,4‐ndc²⁻ ligands, leading to the formation of a two‐dimensional square lattice ( sql ) layer extending in the ab plane. In the crystal, adjacent layers are further connected by 3,3′‐bphte bridges, generating a three‐dimensional architecture. From a topological viewpoint, if each dinuclear zinc unit is considered as a 6‐connected node and the 1,4‐ndc²⁻ and 3,3′‐bphte ligands are regarded as linkers, the structure can be simplified as a unique three‐dimensional 6‐connected framework with the point symbol 4⁴6¹⁰8. The thermal stability and solid‐state photoluminescence properties have also been investigated.     

Synthesis and hydrolytic degradation of a random copolymer derived from 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one and glycolide

Novel biodegradable copolymers, poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one‐co‐glycolide) [P(DON‐co‐GA)] containing a high proportion of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one (DON), were synthesized by copolymerizations of DON and glycolide (GA) at 120 °C for 16 h using stannous octoate as catalyst. Chemical composition and microstructural variation of the resulting copolymer were investigated by ¹H‐ and ¹³C NMR and thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From the ¹³C NMR spectra, it was observed that, apart from the expected preponderance of DON sequences, the minor component, GA, was indeed distributed at various points along the copolymer chain rather than incorporated as distinct blocks, which is consistent with a random sequence distribution. This view also was supported by the DSC results, which showed that most copolymers were amorphous except for one with a relatively high fraction of DON. The conclusion that it was a random structure rather than a statistical copolymer is discussed, using the theories about the mechanism of this type of polymerization in current as a reference. P(DON‐co‐GA) films were prepared by casting the copolymer solution in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) with two concentrations of the polymeric solution (10 and 25 wt %). The in vitro hydrolytic degradation behaviors of these films were studied in phosphate buffer solution (pH = 7.4) at 37 °C and characterized by DSC, scanning electron microscopy, weight loss, and change in inherent viscosity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2558–2566, 2004     

Poly(2,5‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐phenylene benzobisthiazole)/poly(1,4‐phenylene benzobisthiazole) copolymers: Chain packing and properties

Crystal‐packing, optical, and electrical properties of poly(2,5‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐phenylene benzobisthiazole) (DiOH‐PBZT) and copolymers of DiOH‐PBZT/poly(1,4‐phenylene‐benzobisthiazole) (PBZT) were examined. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl units and the neighboring nitrogen atoms, as evidenced by the IR spectra, led to the formation of a pseudoladder chain structure and changed the chain packing. The (200) and (010) planes were both affected by the copolymer composition, with the (200) plane spacing increasing from 5.895 to 6.482 Å and the (010) plane spacing decreasing from 3.539 to 3.404 Å with the transition from the unsubstituted PBZT homopolymer to the DiOH‐PBZT homopolymer. The cell dimensions of the copolymers were simple averages of those of the individual homopolymers, suggesting the isomorphic crystal structure formation of the two units. The c‐axis spacing, however, remained unchanged. The increase in the conjugation length of the copolymers as the dihydroxy content increased was confirmed by the bathochromic shift of the absorption band in the ultraviolet–visible spectra. The intrinsic conductivities of the copolymers were 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the unsubstituted PBZT. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 559–565, 2001     

Preparation and properties of new poly(amide‐imide)s based on 1,4‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)naphthalene and aromatic diamines

A diimide dicarboxylic acid, 1,4‐bis(4‐trimellitimidophenoxy)naphthalene (1,4‐BTMPN), was prepared by condensation of 1,4‐bis(4‐aminophenoxy)naphthalene and trimellitic anhydride at a 1 : 2 molar ratio. A series of novel poly(amide‐imide)s (IIa–k) with inherent viscosities of 0.72 to 1.59 dL/g were prepared by triphenyl phosphite‐activated polycondensation from the diimide‐diacid 1,4‐BTMPN with various aromatic diamines (Ia–k) in a medium consisting of N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (NMP), pyridine, and calcium chloride. The poly(amide‐imide)s showed good solubility in NMP, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and N,N‐dimethylformamide. The thermal properties of the obtained poly(amide‐imide)s were examined with differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry analysis. The synthesized poly(amide‐imide)s possessed glass‐transition temperatures in the range of 215 to 263°C. The poly(amide‐imide)s exhibited excellent thermal stabilities and had 10% weight losses at temperatures in the range of 538 to 569°C under a nitrogen atmosphere. A comparative study of some corresponding poly(amide‐imide)s also is presented. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1–8, 2000     

ZnII‐ and AuI‐Catalyzed Regioselective Hydrative Oxidations of 3‐En‐1‐ynes with Selectfluor: Realization of 1,4‐Dioxo and 1,4‐Oxohydroxy Functionalizations

Catalytic 1,4‐dioxo functionalizations of 3‐en‐1‐ynes to (Z)‐ and (E)‐2‐en‐1,4‐dicarbonyl compounds are described. This regioselective difunctionalization was achieved in one‐pot operation through initial alkyne hydration followed by in situ Selectfluor oxidation. The presence of pyridine alters the reaction chemoselectivity to give 4‐hydroxy‐2‐en‐1‐carbonyl products instead. A cooperative action of pyridine and Zn^II assists the hydrolysis of key oxonium intermediate.     

Solvent effect on the free‐radical copolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate with t‐butyl acrylate

The free‐radical copolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate with t‐butyl acrylate was carried out at 50 °C in bulk and in 3 mol · L^?1 1,4‐dioxane and N,N′‐dimethylformamide solutions. Differences between the apparent reactivity ratios determined in this work indicated a noticeable solvent effect. This is explained with a qualitative bootstrap effect. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2043–2048, 2001     

Polymerization of 1,3‐dienes with functional groups. II. Free‐radical polymerization of N‐(2‐methylene‐3‐butenoyl)piperidine

The free‐radical homopolymerization and copolymerization behavior of N‐(2‐methylene‐3‐butenoyl)piperidine was investigated. When the monomer was heated in bulk at 60 °C for 25 h without an initiator, about 30% of the monomer was consumed by the thermal polymerization and the Diels–Alder reaction. No such side reaction was observed when the polymerization was carried out in a benzene solution with 1 mol % 2,2′‐azobisisobutylonitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The polymerization rate equation was found to be R_p ∝ [AIBN]^0.507[M]^1.04, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated to be 89.5 kJ/mol. The microstructure of the resulting polymer was exclusively a 1,4‐structure that included both 1,4‐E and 1,4‐Z configurations. The copolymerizations of this monomer with styrene and/or chloroprene as comonomers were carried out in benzene solutions at 60 °C with AIBN as an initiator. In the copolymerization with styrene, the monomer reactivity ratios were r₁ = 6.10 and r₂ = 0.03, and the Q and e values were calculated to be 10.8 and 0.45, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1545–1552, 2003     

Polymerization of 1,3‐dienes with functional groups. III. Free‐radical polymerization of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide

Free‐radical homo‐ and copolymerization behavior of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide (DEA) was investigated. When the monomer was heated in bulk at 60 °C for 25 h without initiator, rubbery, solid gel was formed by the thermal polymerization. No such reaction was observed when the polymerization was carried out in 2 mol/L of benzene solution with with 1 mol % of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The polymerization rate (R_p) equation was R_p ∝ [DEA]^1.1[AIBN]^0.51, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated 84.1 kJ/mol. The microstructure of the resulting polymer was exclusively a 1,4‐structure where both 1,4‐E and 1,4‐Z structures were included. From the product analysis of the telomerization with tert‐butylmercaptan as a telogen, the modes of monomer addition were estimated to be both 1,4‐ and 4,1‐addition. The copolymerizations of this monomer with styrene and/or chloroprene as comonomers were also carried out in benzene solution at 60 °C. In the copolymerization with styrene, the monomer reactivity ratios obtained were r₁ = 5.83 and r₂ = 0.05, and the Q and e values were Q = 8.4 and e = 0.33, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 999–1007, 2004     

Replacement of benzene with regulators for the catalyzed polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene to high cis‐1,4‐polybutadiene

The polymerization regulators mesitylene and 1,3,5‐trimethoxybenzene were investigated as suitable substitutes for benzene in the cobalt(II) octanoate/diethylaluminum chloride/water‐catalyzed polymerization of 1,3‐butadiene to high cis‐1,4‐polybutadiene. The propagation rates were reduced by 50% with the inclusion of 18 mM mesitylene or 0.17 mM trimethoxybenzene. Mesitylene was found to be an inefficient polymerization regulator because it reduced the propagation rate by a combination of regulation and destruction of the active catalyst complex. Not only did trimethoxybenzene reduce the propagation rate by effective regulation at low concentration, it also increased the percentage activity of cobalt to 200%, indicating that two polymer chains were propagating simultaneously from each active center. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2244–2255, 2001     

End‐group modification of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene ether) and in situ synthesis of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene ether)‐b‐poly(ethylene terephthalate) block copolymer

The preparation of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene ether)‐b‐poly(ethylene terephthalate) block copolymer was performed by the reaction of the 2‐hydroxyethyl modified poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene ether) (PPE‐EtOH) with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by an in situ process, during the synthesis of the polyester. The yield of the reaction of the 2‐hydroxyethyl functionalized PPE‐EtOH with PET was close to 100%. A significant proportion of the PET‐b‐PPE‐EtOH block copolymer was found to have short PET block. Nevertheless, the copolymer structured in the shape of micelles (20 nm diameter) and very small domains with 50–200 nm diameter, whereas unmodified PPE formed much larger domains (1.5 μm) containing copolymer. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3985–3991, 2008     

Synthesis of metal‐free poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) by enzyme‐catalyzed ring‐opening polymerization

To avoid the harmful effects of metallic residues in poly(1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one) (PPDO) for medical applications, the enzymatic polymerization of 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one (PDO) was carried out at 60 °C for 15 h with 5 wt % immobilized lipase CA. The lipase CA, derived from Candida antarctica, exhibited especially high catalytic activity. The highest weight‐average molecular weight (M_w = 41,000) was obtained. The PDO polymerization by the lipase CA occurred because of effective enzyme catalysis. The water component appeared to act not only as a substrate of the initiation process but also as a chain cleavage agent. A slight amount of water enhanced the polymerization, but excess water depressed the polymerization. PPDO prepared by enzyme‐catalyzed polymerization is a metal‐free polyester useful for medical applications. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1560–1567, 2000