Synthesis and polymerization of racemic and optically active substituted ß-propiolactones. V. α-methyl ß-propiolactone

R(+) and S(?) enantiomers of α-methyl β-propiolactone (MPL) have been synthesized from the corresponding α-methyl β-hydroxymethylpropionates and racemic MPL from methyl methacrylate. The optical purity and absolute configuration of these lactones were determined using ¹H-NMR spectroscopy after complexation with a chiral compound: 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(9-anthryl)-ethanol. Optical purities of 100% were obtained for both the S(?) (α₀] = ?10.4°, c = 1.3 g/dL in CHCl₃) and the R(+) (α₀] = +10.5°, c = 1.0 g/dL in CHCl₃) enantiomers. The corresponding racemic and optically active polylactones poly(MPL)] were prepared by anionic polymerization, in bulk and in solution, as well as poly(MPL)s of intermediate optical purities. The polymers thus obtained are optically active (α₀] = 16.2° in CHCl₃ for the optically pure polymer, S configuration) and exhibit significant differences. For example, the racemic poly(MPL) is soluble in several organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, benzene, CCl₄, CH₂Cl₂, hexafluoroisopropanol, and CHCl₃, whereas the optically active poly(MPL)s are soluble in CHCl₃ and hexafluoroisopropanol only. Moreover, racemic poly(MPL) is amorphous whereas optically active poly(MPL)s are semicrystalline for optical purities larger than 51%. Melting temperatures and enthalpies of fusion of the semicrystalline polylactones vary with optical purity whereas glass transition temperatures remain invariant for all polymers, at about ?28°C. The poly(MPL) of highest optical purity exhibits a melting temperature of 95°C and an enthalpy of fusion of 61 J/g.