Synthesis and structures of cooligo(lactone) macromonomers

Cooligo(lactone) macromonomers were prepared by cooligomerisation of (S,S)-3,6-dimethyl-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dione (L-lactide), 1-oxacyclohexane-2-one (δ-valerolactone) or 1-oxacycloheptane-2-one (ε-caprolactone), initiated by 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)phenyl]-propane (BisGMA). Two different reaction ways were used for the synthesis: parallel reaction and step reaction of lactones and L-lactide. The macromonomers were characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Cooligo(lactone) macromonomers prepared by parallel and by step reaction show different molecular structures resulting in different properties. Their glass transition temperatures depend on the molar ratio of lactide and lactone as well as on the degree of oligomerisation. Macromonomers with high amounts of L-lactide units are partially crystalline.