Ring‐Opening Polymerisation of ϵ‐Caprolactone with Monosaccharides as Transfer Agents. A Novel Route to Functionalised Nanoparticles

Functionalised polycaprolactones have been obtained by anionic coordinated ring‐opening polymerisation with Al(OiPr)₃ as the initiator in the presence of monosaccharides as transfer agents. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, as well as MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry clearly show the functionalisation of the polycaprolactone chains. Protected monosaccharides bearing primary hydroxyl groups are suited best to get well‐controlled polymer chains. Polycaprolactones functionalised with galactopyranose end groups have been used for the preparation of nanoparticles according to the emulsification‐diffusion procedure. Nanospheres and nanocapsules with diameters around 0.50 μm could be obtained.