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 - TY - JOUR A1 - Kricheldorf, H. R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - Alcohol-Initiated and SnOct2-Catalyzed Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) of L-Lactide in Solution: A Re-investigation N2 - Alcohol-initiated ring-opening polymerizations (ROP) of L-lactide (LA) were studied in solution at 70 °C, whereupon the nature of the alcohol, the LA/initiator ratio, the LA/SnOct2 ratio and the time were varied. In contrast to literature, neat SnOct2 is catalytically active in THF and several aromatic but donor solvents, such as 1,3-dioxolane, dimethylformamide (DMF) or N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), strongly reduce the activity of SnOct2. In agreement with literature, no cycles were formed by neat SnOct2 at 70 °C in toluene, whereas almost complete cyclization occurs at 115 °C. This finding is attributed to strongly reduced mobility of the initially formed linear chains having one Sn-O-CH and one anhydride end group. Due to better solvation and enhanced mobility cyclization occurs in THF at 70 °C. KW - Polylactide KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Transesterification PY - 2023 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.111822 SN - 0014-3057 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - Elsevier CY - New York, NY [u.a.] AN - OPUS4-56818 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - 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 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, 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 - Kricheldorf, H. R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen T1 - High molecular weight poly(l-lactide) via ring-opening polymerization with bismuth subsalicylate-The role of cocatalysts N2 - The catalytic potential of bismuth subsalicylate (BiSub), a commercial drug, for ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide was explored by variation of co-catalyst and polymerization time. Various monofunctional phenols or carboxylic acids, aromatic ortho-hydroxy acids and diphenols were examined as potential co-catalysts. 2,2´-Dihydroxybiphenyl proved to be the most successful co-catalyst yielding weight average molecular weights (uncorrected Mw values up to 185 000) after optimization of reaction time and temperature. Prolonged heating (>1-2h) depending on catalyst concentration) caused thermal degradation. In polymerization experiments with various commercial Bi(III) salts a better alternative to BiSub was not found. By means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry a couple of unusual and unexpected transesterification reactions were discovered. Finally, the effectiveness of several antioxidants and potential catalyst poisons was explored, and triphenylphosphine was found to be an effective catalyst poison. KW - Polylactide KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Ring-opening polymerization KW - Bismuth PY - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-519513 SN - 0021-8995 VL - 138 IS - 19 SP - 50394 PB - Wiley AN - OPUS4-51951 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 - Kricheldorf, H. R. A1 - Weidner, Steffen A1 - Meyer, A. T1 - High Tm linear poly(L-lactide)s prepared via alcohol-initiated ROPs of L-lactide N2 - Alcohol-initiated ROPs of L-lactide were performed in bulk at 160 °C for 72 h with variation of the catalyst or with variation of the initiator (aliphatic alcohols). Spontaneous crystallization was only observed when cyclic Sn(II) compounds were used as a catalyst. Regardless of initiator, high melting crystallites with melting temperatures (Tm) of 189–193 °C were obtained in almost all experiments with Sn(II) 2,2′-dioxybiphenyl (SnBiph) as catalyst, even when the time was shortened to 24 h. These HTm poly(lactide)s represent the thermodynamically most stable form of poly(L-lactide). Regardless of the reaction conditions, such high melting crystallites were never obtained when Sn(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (SnOct2) was used as catalyst. SAXS measurements evidenced that formation of HTm poly(L-lactide) involves growth of the crystallite thickness, but chemical modification of the crystallite surface (smoothing) seems to be of greater importance. A hypothesis, why the “surface smoothing” is more effective for crystallites of linear chains than for crystallites composed of cycles is discussed. KW - Polylactide KW - MALDI-TOF MS KW - Ring-opening polymerization PY - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-524330 VL - 11 IS - 23 SP - 14093 EP - 14102 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry AN - OPUS4-52433 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -