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Metal‐Free Ring‐Opening Alternating Copolymerization of Epoxides and Cyclic Anhydrides Mediated by a Ternary Phosphazene Base and Carboxylic Acids
Author(s) -
Kou Xinhui,
Li Yongzheng,
Shen Yong,
Li Zhibo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.201900416
Subject(s) - phosphazene , phthalic anhydride , polymer chemistry , copolymer , cyclohexene oxide , carboxylic acid , monomer , polyester , chemistry , ring opening polymerization , materials science , catalysis , organic chemistry , polymer
Organocatalytic, metal‐free ring‐opening alternating copolymerization (ROAP) of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides to produce polyesters with well‐defined alternating structure remains a challenge despite several organocatalysts having been reported. Herein, the ROAP of cyclohexene oxide (CHO) with phthalic anhydride (PA) using a series of carboxylic acids as initiator in the presence of an organic cyclic trimetric phosphazene base (CTPB) as catalyst is reported. The molar ratio of CTPB to carboxylic acid is proven to be crucial to obtain polyester with well‐defined alternating structure without formation of polyether homopolymer. The effects of carboxylic acid, temperature and feed molar ratio on monomer conversions and resultant molecular weights of poly(PA‐ alt ‐CHO) are systematically investigated. This work enriches the opinion of initiator for the ROAP of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides.