SYNTHESIS OF BIS(β-DIKETONATO)ZIRCONIUM (IV) CHLORIDE AS A CATALYST IN THE RING OPENING POLYMERIZATIONS OF ε-CAPROLACTONE

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) is a biodegradable polymer that is very attractive because of its properties such as high crystallinity, high permeability, and non-toxic. In this research, two series of bis(β-diketonato)zirconium (IV) chloride have been synthesized to be performed as a catalyst in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of εcaprolactone (ε-CL). The polymerization reaction was performed at 100 °C by stirring the mixture in the oil bath for 4 hours. The results showed that the PCL has been successfully polymerized using bis(β-diketonato)zirconium (IV) chloride catalysts complex and its molecular structure has been determined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (HNMR), Carbon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (CNMR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). On the other hand, the plausible reaction mechanism of the use of bis(β-diketonato)zirconium (IV) chloride catalyst in the ROP of ε-CL was also proposed in this research.