Experimental and computational studies of ring‐opening polymerization of ethylene brassylate macrolactone and copolymerization with ε‐caprolactone and TBD‐guanidine organic catalyst. Issue 4 (1st December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pascual, Ana; Sardón, Haritz; Ruipérez, Fernando; Gracia, Raquel; Sudam, Pallavi; Veloso, Antonio; Mecerreyes, David
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 53:Issue 4(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 552
• Page End: 561
• Publication Date: 2014-12-01
• Subjects: 547
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.27473
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-624X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <p>The ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ethylene brassylate, catalyzed by the cyclic guanidine 1, 5, 7‐triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec‐5‐ene (TBD) is reported. Several experimental parameters were evaluated for bulk ROP process and polyesters, resulting in molecular weights between 3 and 15 kg mol⁻¹. End‐group analysis by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonnance (NMR) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight computational studies supports the dual behavior of TBD, which can act as both a catalyst and initiator of the polymerization process. Under optimum conditions, semicrystalline poly(ethylene brassylate‐<italic>co</italic>‐ε‐caprolactone) random copolymers were synthesized. Depending on the comonomer content, our results showed a range of melting temperatures between 39 and 69 °C. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. <bold>2015</bold>, <italic>53</italic>, 552–561</p> </abstract>