TY - JOUR A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. T1 - Transesterification in the solid state of cyclic and linear poly(l-lactide)s N2 - Poly(l-lactide)s are synthesized and annealed at 120 °C and changes of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) are monitored by matrix-assited laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. For example, benzyl alcohol+SnOct2 causes equilibration of odd- and even-numbered chains and the final goal of the transesterification is the most probable distribution. The underlying intermolecular transesterification is even observed at 100 and 80 °C in the solid state. However, cyclic tin mercaptide catalysts transform the initial most probable distribution into a MWD with maxima, which display a conspicuous fine structure due to a preferential crystallization of certain ring sizes. The optimum ring sizes for the crystallization are provided by ring-ring equilibration. The gradual formation of a special morphology shifts the melting temperature to values up to 187 °C. Annealing of commercial poly(l-lactide) with a cyclic tin catalyst also yields a distribution of mass peaks with a maximum showing the characteristic fine structure. KW - Equilibration KW - Mass spectrometry KW - Polylactides KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Transesterification PY - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201700114 SN - 1521-3935 SN - 1022-1352 VL - 218 IS - 14 SP - 1700114-1 EP - 1700114-10 PB - Wiley-VCH AN - OPUS4-41732 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -