title: The reaction mechanism for the organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using a guanidine-based catalyst: hydrogen-bonded or covalently bound?
abstract: We have investigated two alternative mechanisms for the ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using a guanidine-based catalyst, the first involving acetyl transfer to the catalyst, and the second involving only hydrogen bonding to the catalyst. Using computational chemistry methods, we show that the hydrogen bonding pathway is considerably preferred over the acetyl transfer pathway and that this is consistent with experimental information.
authors.affiliation: IBM Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Road, San Jose, California 95032, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chuma
authors.forename: Hans W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Swope
authors.forename: Russell C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bas G G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Lohmeijer
authors.forename: Charles G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Waymouth
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hedrick
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rice