TY - JOUR A1 - Lahcini, M. A1 - Qayouh, H. A1 - Yashiro, T. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Kricheldorf, H.R. T1 - Bismuth-triflate-catalyzed polymerizations of epsilon-caprolactone T2 - Macromolecular chemistry and physics N2 - εCL was polymerized using the triflates of lanthanum, samarium, magnesium, aluminum, scandium, and bismuth as catalysts. Bismuth triflate proved to be extraordinarily reactive, and catalyzed polymerizations of εCL even at 20 °C. Adding DTBMP reduced the polymerization rate only slightly. Furthermore, no evidence of a cationic mechanism was found by end‐group analyses. Polymerization at 20 °C either in bulk or in solution only yielded polyesters of low or medium molecular weights. Yet addition of alcohols allowed for a proper control of molecular weight and end‐groups. Additionally, low catalyst concentrations and low temperature resulted in narrow molecular weight distributions and polylactones almost free of cyclic compounds. PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim KW - Bismuth KW - Epsilon-caprolactone KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Telechelic polyesters PY - 2011 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-bam/frontdoor/index/index/docId/23514 AN - OPUS4-23514 SN - 1022-1352 SN - 1521-3935 VL - 212 IS - 6 SP - 583 EP - 591 AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany