Chemoselective polymerization control: from mixed-monomer feedstock to copolymers.
A novel chemoselective polymerization control yields predictable (co)polymer compositions from a mixture of monomers. Using a dizinc catalyst and a mixture of caprolactone, cyclohexene oxide, and carbon dioxide enables the selective preparation of either polyesters or polycarbonates or copoly(ester-carbonates). The selectivity depends on the nature of the zinc-oxygen functionality at the growing polymer chain end, and can be controlled by the addition of exogeneous switch reagents.
Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (UK).
Dr Charles
DC
Romain
Charlotte K
CK
Williams
chemoselectivity; homogeneous catalysis; polycarbonates; polyesters; ring-opening polymerization