Catalytic insights into acid/base conjugates: highly selective bifunctional catalysts for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide.
Herein, we report the use of acid/base complexes for the ring opening polymerization of (L)-lactide. The salt formed from an equimolar reaction of benzoic acid and DBU produced a catalyst capable of controlled polymerizations allowing for targeted molecular weights and narrow polydispersities. The use of computational analysis suggests a bifunctional catalytic mechanism wherein both the monomer and propagating hydroxyl group are activated toward polymerization.
IBM Almaden Research Center, 650 Harry Road, San Jose, California 95120, USA.
Daniel J
DJ
Coady
Kazuki
K
Fukushima
Hans W
HW
Horn
Julia E
JE
Rice
James L
JL
Hedrick