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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Stereocontrolled ring-opening polymerization of cyclic esters: synthesis of new polyester microstructures
1Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Paris, UMR CNRS 7223, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France. christophe-thomas@enscp.fr
Abstract:
Synthesis of aliphatic polyesters has been studied intensively due to their biocompatible and biodegradable properties and their potential applications in medical and agricultural fields. There has been particular emphasis over the past decade on the synthesis of discrete, well-characterized complexes that are active polymerization initiators for the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide (LA) and beta-butyrolactone (BBL) to give, respectively, poly(lactide) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). These recent advances in catalyst design have led to a variety of polyester microstructures. This tutorial review focuses on the use of metal-based complexes for the stereoselective ROP of rac-LA and rac-BBL.
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