Anionic ring-opening polymerization of beta-alkoxymethyl-substituted beta-lactones
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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Grazyna Adamus1, Marek Kowalczuk
1Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, 34 M. Curie-Skłodowska Street, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland. gadamus@cchp-pan.zabrze.pl
Abstract:
We report on anionic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of racemic beta-(methoxymethyl)-beta-propiolactone (MOMPL) and beta-(ethoxymethyl)-beta-propiolactone (EOMPL) initiated by supramolecular complex of potassium acetate and tetrabutylammonium acetate (Bu4N+ Ac) as well as by tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, respectively. Structure of the resulting polymers has been established at the molecular level by electrospray ionization multistage mass spectrometry (ESI-MS(n)) and has been confirmed by FT-IR, NMR, and GPC analyses. Similar behavior of MOMPL and EOMPL with respect to already-studied beta-alkyl-substituted beta-lactones, e.g., beta-butyrolactone (MPL), has been observed under the conditions of anionic ROP (including observed side reactions leading to unsaturated end groups) and the already-established mechanisms of anionic polymerization of beta-alkyl-substituted beta-lactones are extended on beta-alkoxymethyl-substituted ones.
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