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 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. KW - Bismuth KW - Epsilon-caprolactone KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Telechelic polyesters PY - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201000517 SN - 1022-1352 SN - 1521-3935 VL - 212 IS - 6 SP - 583 EP - 591 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-23514 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H.R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, F. T1 - Poly(Epsilon-caprolactone) by combined ring-opening polymerization and azeotropic polycondensation - the role of cyclization and equilibration N2 - Using three different catalysts, water-initiated polymerizations of ε-caprolactone were conducted in bulk with variation of the monomer/water ratio. The resulting CH2OH and CO2H- terminated polylactones were subjected in situ to azeotropic polycondensations. With Bi-triflate and temperatures, the polycondensations were not much successful and involved side reactions. With ZnCl2, and especially SnCl2, considerably higher molar masses were achieved. The substitution of toluene for chlorobenzene for refluxing gave better results. The polycondensations broadened the molar mass distribution of the ROP-based prepolymers, and polydispersities between 1.4–1.8 were obtained. The MALDI–TOF mass spectra revealed that the polycondensations significantly enhanced the fraction of rings due to efficient 'end-biting' reactions. By comparison with copolymerization experiments and Sn methoxide-initiated polymerizations, it was demonstrated that equilibration reactions, such as the formation of rings by 'back-biting,' did not occur. KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Epsilon-caprolactone (e-CL) KW - Cyclization KW - MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry KW - Polycondensation KW - Polyesters PY - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.26222 SN - 0360-6376 SN - 0887-624X VL - 50 IS - 20 SP - 4206 EP - 4214 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken, NJ AN - OPUS4-26500 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H.R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - Copolyesters of lactide, isosorbide, and terephthalic acid-biobased, biodegradable, high-Tg engineering plastics N2 - Various copolyesters of lactide, isosorbide, and terephthalic acid are prepared by a two-step process performed in a 'one-pot' procedure, beginning with an isosorbide-initiated oligomerization of L-lactide followed by polycondensation with terephthaloyl chloride using SnCl2 as a catalyst for both steps. The SEC data show the formation of random copolyesters with high polydispersities as a consequence of the relatively high fraction of cyclics proved by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The glass-transition temperatures (89–180 °C) obey an almost linear trend with the molar composition. The thermostability decreases with increasing lactide content. The successful incorporation of phenyl phosphate results in copolyesters of lower inflammability. KW - Biodegradability KW - Cyclization KW - Isosorbide KW - Polycondensation KW - Ring-opening polymerization PY - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201200612 SN - 1022-1352 SN - 1521-3935 VL - 214 IS - 6 SP - 726 EP - 733 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-28171 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H.R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - High Tg copolyesters of lactide, isosorbide and isophthalic acid N2 - Using SnCl2, ZnCl2, Zn-lactate or Zr-acetylacetonate as catalysts ʟ-lactide was oligomerized in bulk with isosorbide as initiator. The ratio isosorbide/lactide was varied from 8/2 to 2/8. The resulting oligomers were in situ polycondensed with isophthaloyl chloride in various aromatic solvents. In chlorobenzene homogeneous reaction mixtures were obtained, whereas molten copolyesters precipitated from toluene and xylene. The obtained average molecular weights indicated high polydispersities. According to MALDI-TOF MS the low molar mass reaction products (<4 kDa) almost exclusively consisted of cyclics with a composition depending on the feed ratio. The glass-transition temperatures (Tg) varied between the values of poly(ʟ-lactide (64 °C) and poly(isosorbide isophthalate) (180 °C). Four polyesters prepared from 5-tert-butyl isophthalic acid displayed higher Tg values. Differential thermoanalysis evidenced that the thermostability decreases with higher fractions of lactide, but processing from the melt seems to be feasible up to temperatures of 260 °C without risking degradation. KW - Lactide KW - Isosorbide KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Polycondensation KW - Cyclization PY - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2013.05.007 SN - 0014-3057 SN - 1873-1945 VL - 49 IS - 8 SP - 2293 EP - 2302 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford AN - OPUS4-29014 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, F. A1 - Kricheldorf, H.R. T1 - Low-temperature polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone catalyzed by cerium triflates N2 - Using 22 metal triflates as catalysts, ε-caprolactone is polymerized at 22 °C in bulk. Only five relatively acidic triflates prove active. Three triflates, including the neutral Sm3+, are active using water as initiator. A very low content of cyclics is found in all the experiments. With Ce3+ and Ce4+, polymerizations are performed in CH2Cl2 and in bulk at 2 °C and 22 °C. Low dispersities (down to 1.1) are obtained. At 22 °C, Ce4+ and, even better, Ce3+ also catalyze syntheses of CO2H- and CH2OH-terminated polycaprolactones, whereby higher dispersities and larger fractions of cyclics are obtained. Further polymerizations and polycondensations are catalyzed with protic acids. The results can be explained by a proton-catalyzed activated monomer mechanism. KW - Epsilon-caprolactone KW - Cyclization KW - Metal triflates KW - Polycondensation KW - Ring-opening polymerization PY - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201300279 SN - 1022-1352 SN - 1521-3935 VL - 214 IS - 18 SP - 2043 EP - 2053 PB - Wiley-VCH Verl. CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-29219 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, Felix T1 - Cyclic poly(l-lactide) via ring-expansion polymerization by means of dibutyltin 4-tert-butylcatecholate N2 - Five new catalysts are prepared from dibutyltin oxide and catechol (HCa), 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene (NaCa), 4-tert-butyl catechol (BuCa), 4-cyano catechol (CyCa), and 4-benzoyl catechol (BzCa), but only BuCa gives useful results. When benzyl alcohol is used as an initiator, linear chains having benzyl ester end groups are formed in a slow polymerization process. In contrast to cyclic or noncyclic dibutyltin bisalkoxides, neat BuCa yields cyclic poly(l-lactide)s via a fast ring-expansion polymerization. Under certain conditions, a high-melting crystalline phase (Tm = 191 °C) is obtained. At 160 °C and short reaction times even-numbered cycles are slightly prevailing, but, surprisingly, at 120 °C, odd-numbered cycles are predominantly formed. These results definitely prove that a ring-expansion mechanism is operating. KW - Lactides KW - MALDI TOF MS KW - Morphology KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Tin catalysts PY - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.201700274 SN - 1521-3935 SN - 1022-1352 VL - 218 IS - 22 SP - 1700274, 1 EP - 1700274, 10 PB - Wiley VCH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-43583 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H. R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, F. T1 - Cyclic Polylactides via Simultaneous Ring-Opening Polymerization and Polycondensation Catalyzed by Dibutyltin Mercaptides N2 - L-Lactide is polymerized in bulk at 160 8C either with dibutyltin bis(benzylmercaptide) (SnSBzl), dibutyltin bis(benzothiazole 2-mercaptide) (SnMBT), or with dibutyltin bis(pentafluorothiophenolate) (SnSPF) as catalysts. SnSBzl yields linear polylactides having benzylthio-ester end groups in addition to cyclic polylactides, whereas SnMBT and SnSPF mainly or exclusively yield cyclic polylactides. This finding, together with model reactions, indicates that the SnS catalysts promote a combined ring-opening polymerization and polycondensation process including end-to-end cyclization. SnMBT caused slight racemization (3%–5%), when used at 160 8C. With SnSPF optically pure cyclic poly(L-lactide)s with high-molecular weights can be prepared at 160 8C. KW - Cyclopolymerization KW - Catalysts KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polyester KW - Ring-opening polymerization PY - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.28762 VL - 55 IS - 22 SP - 3767 EP - 3775 PB - Wiley Periodicals AN - OPUS4-42600 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Kricheldorf, H. R. T1 - Spirocyclic bisphenoxides of Ge, Zr, and Sn as catalysts for ring-expansion polymerizations of L- and meso-lactide N2 - Spirocyclic phenoxides of germanium, zirconium, and tin were prepared from 2,20-dihydroxybiphenyl and 2,20-dihydroxy-1,10-binaphthyl. Ring-expansion polymerizations of L-lactide are mainly studied at 160 or 180 °C. The reactivity of the catalysts increases in the order: Zr < Ge < Sn. Regardless of catalyst, the weight-average molecular weights (Mw) never exceed 50,000 g mol−1. The resulting poly(L-lactide)s are optically pure and have a cyclic architecture. Decreasing temperature and time favor Formation of even-numbered cycles, and at 102 ° cyclics, almost free of odd-numbered rings are obtained. Analogous polymerizations of meso-lactide give similar results >120 °C, but different results at 100 or 80 °C. Surprisingly, bell-shaped narrow molecular weight distributions are obtained <140 °C, resembling the pattern of living polymerizations found for alcohol-initiated polymerizations. An unusual transesterification mechanism yielding narrow distributions of odd-numbered cycles is discovered too. KW - Cyclization KW - Polylactides KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Spirocyclic PY - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.29259 SN - 0887-624X SN - 1099-0518 VL - 56 IS - 24 SP - 2730 EP - 2738 PB - Wiley Periodicals AN - OPUS4-46498 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H. R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Scheliga, F. T1 - About formation of cycles in Sn(II) octanoate-catalyzed polymerizations of lactides N2 - At first, formation of cycles in commercial poly(Llactide)s is discussed and compared with benzyl alcoholinitiated polymerizations performed in this work. This comparison was extended to polymerizations initiated with 4-cyanophenol and pentafluorothiophenol which yielded cyclic polylactides via end-biting. The initiator/catalyst ratio and the acidity of the initiator were found to be decisive for the extent of cyclization. Further polymerizations of L-lactide were performed with various diphenols as initiators/co-catalysts. With most diphenols, cyclic polylactides were the main reaction products. Yet, only catechols yielded even-numbered cycles as main reaction products, a result which proves that their combination with SnOct2 catalyzed a ring-expansion polymerization (REP). The influence of temperature, time, co-catalyst, and catalyst concentrations was studied. Four different transesterification reactions yielding cycles were identified. For the cyclic poly(L-lactide)s weight average molecular weights (Mw’s) up to 120,000 were obtained, but 1H NMR end group analyses indicated that the extent of cyclization was slightly below 100%. The influence of various parameters like structure of Initiator and catalyst and temperature on the formation of cyclic poly(Llactide)s has been investigated. Depending on the chosen conditions, the course of the polymerization can be varied from a process yielding exclusively linear polylactides to mainly cyclic polylactides. Three different reaction pathways for cyclization reactions have been identified. KW - Cyclization KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Polyester KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Transesterification PY - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.29077 SN - 0887-624X VL - 56 IS - 17 SP - 1915 EP - 1925 PB - Wiley Periodicals Inc. AN - OPUS4-46052 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, Hans A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - About the influence of salicylic acid on tin(II)octanoate-catalyzed ring opening polymerizationof L-lactide N2 - L-Lactide was polymerized in bulk with tin(II)2-ethylhexanoate SnOct2) as catalyst and salicylic acid as cocatalyst. The Lac/Cat ratio, Cocat/Cat ratio, temperature and time were varied. Increasing Cocat/Cat ratios reduced both,polymerization rate and molecular weight. However,under optimized conditions high molar mass (Mw up to 178,000), colorless, cyclic polylactides were formed in a short time. A few polymerizations performed at 160 and 180°C with the combination of SnOct2 and silylated salicylic acid gave similar results. Neat tin II) salicylate was prepared from SnOct2 and used for REPs of L-lactide in bulk, but the results were not better than those obtained from combinations of SnOct2 and salicylic acid. Furthermore, dibutyltin salicylate was synthesized and used as catalyst for polymerizations of L-lactide in bulk at temperatures varying from 102 to 160°C. Cyclic polylactides with Mw’s up to 40,000 were the main reaction products. At 100–102°C a predominance of odd-numbered cycles was found proving a REP mechanism. KW - Polylactide KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Cyclization KW - Catalyst KW - Ring-opening polymerization PY - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2019.07.003 VL - 119 SP - 37 EP - 44 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-49211 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -