title: Synthesis and hydrolysis behaviour of poly(ester anhydrides) from polylactone precursors containing alkenyl moieties.
abstract: Hydroxyl-group functional polylactones were prepared and converted to acid- terminated polyesters in a reaction with a series of alkenylsuccinic anhydrides containing 8, 12, or 18 carbons in their alkenyl chains. These polyester precursors were then linked into higher molecular weight poly(ester anhydrides) containing alkenyl moieties in their polyester blocks. The hydrolysis behaviour of the poly(ester anhydrides) was found to depend on the thermal properties of the polyester precursors. For poly(ester anhydrides) prepared from low molecular weight prepolymers with thermal transitions below 37 degrees C, the presence of hydrophobic alkenyl chains in the polyester precursors slowed the rate of weight loss. Poly(ester anhydrides) prepared from higher molecular weight prepolymers showed the opposite weight-loss behaviour; i.e., the crystallinity and thermal transitions of the alkenyl chain-containing poly(ester anhydrides) were low, and the weight loss was faster than for poly(ester anhydrides) without the alkenyl chains. The differences in length of the alkenyl chain, as such, had little effect on the hydrolysis behaviour and thermal properties of the poly(ester anhydrides).
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University of Technology, Department of Chemical Technology, Laboratory of Polymer Technology, P.O. Box 6100, FIN-02015 HUT, Finland.
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Korhonen
authors.forename: Risto A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hakala
authors.forename: Antti O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Helminen
authors.forename: Jukka V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Seppälä
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000812:Anhydrides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D002208:Caproates / Q000737:chemistry*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007783:Lactones / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011091:Polyesters / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000812:Anhydrides; D002208:Caproates; D007783:Lactones; D011091:Polyesters; C121056:caprolactone