Melt Polymerization of Adipic Anhydride (Oxepane-2,7-Dione)

Oxepane-2,7-dione (1) was prepared by the reaction of adipic acid and acetic anhydride followed by catalytic depolymerization under vacuum. the ring-opening polymerization of (1) was investigated in the melt, and was studied as a function of polymerization temperature, time and concentration of catalyst (stannous 2-ethylhexanoate). from ¹H-NMR and IR spectra it can be deduced that stannous 2-ethylhexanoate coordinates with the anhydride bond of the ring, and that the resulting species reacts with the monomer by ring-opening of the acyl-oxygen bond. These observations indicate a non-ionic insertion polymerization mechanism at the beginning of the reaction, but after 2 h at 80°C, anhydride exchange appears to be the dominating reaction. Ring-opening melt polymerization of (1) resulted in low molecular weight poly (adipic anhydride).