Zinc Undecylenate Catalyst for the Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Caprolactone Monomers |
| |
Authors: | Jing Hao Patricia C. Granowski Mihaela C. Stefan |
| |
Abstract: | The ring‐opening polymerization of two caprolactone monomers catalyzed by zinc undecylenate (ZU) is reported. Polymerizations were performed in bulk with benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as an initiator at 90 and 110 °C, respectively. A slower polymerization rate was observed for γ‐octyloxy‐ϵ‐caprolactone as compared to ϵ‐caprolactone. Diblock copolymers were synthesized by the sequential monomer addition at 90 and 110 °C. The kinetic studies performed for the ring‐opening polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactone and γ‐octyloxy‐ϵ‐caprolactone and the successful synthesis of diblock copolymers by the sequential monomer addition confirmed the controlled/living nature of zinc undecylenate catalyzed reactions. |
| |
Keywords: | ring‐opening polymerization zinc undecylenate ϵ ‐caprolactone |
|