Synthesis of novel functional poly[( R , S )‐ß‐hydroxybutyrate] containing phosphonoacetate end groups

Amorphous poly[( R , S )‐ß‐hydroxybutyrate], containing both phosphonoacetate and carboxylate functional end groups, was synthesized via anionic polymerization of racemic ß‐butyro‐lactone initiated by supramolecular complexes of potassium P , P ‐dimethylphosphonoacetate. The living homopolymers, with alkali metal counter ions complexed with a crown ether, were utilized for the synthesis of block copolymers via condensation reaction with alkylene dihalides. As a result of this approach, coupled block copolymers containing phosphonoacetate functional end groups were obtained.