Block-Stereoblock Copolymers of Poly(ϵ-Caprolactone) and Poly(Lactic Acid)

Tomer Rosen; Israel Goldberg; Wanda Navarra; Vincenzo Venditto; Moshe Kol

doi:10.1002/anie.201803063

Block-Stereoblock Copolymers of Poly(ϵ-Caprolactone) and Poly(Lactic Acid)

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Jun 11;57(24):7191-7195. doi: 10.1002/anie.201803063. Epub 2018 May 14.

Authors

Tomer Rosen¹, Israel Goldberg¹, Wanda Navarra², Vincenzo Venditto², Moshe Kol¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
² Department of Chemistry and Biology A. Zambelli, and, INSTM Research Unit, University of Salerno, Fisciano, 84084 Salerno, Italy.

PMID: 29665211
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201803063

Abstract

A magnesium complex of the type {ONNN}Mg-HMDS wherein {ONNN} is a sequential tetradentate monoanionic ligand is introduced. In the presence of an alcohol initiator this complex catalyzes the living and immortal homopolymerization of the lactide enantiomers and ϵ-caprolactone at room-temperature with exceptionally high activities, as well as the precise block copolymerization of these monomers in a one-pot synthesis by sequential monomer addition. Copolymers of unprecedented microstructures such as the PCL-b-PLLA-b-PDLA and PDLA-b-PLLA-b-PCL-b-PLLA-b-PDLA block-stereoblock microstructures that feature unique thermal properties are readily accessed.

Keywords: block copolymers; living polymerization; magnesium; poly(lactic acid); poly(ϵ-caprolactone).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't