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Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Functionalized Polyesters via Stereoselective Electrochemical Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides
Yongliang Zhong1, Quanyou Feng1,2, Xiaoqian Wang1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 635 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States.
Abstract:
Ring-opening polymerization is used to prepare polyesters with precisely controlled molecular weights, molecular weight distributions, and tacticities. Herein, we report a Co/Zn catalytic system that can be activated by an electrical current to mediate efficient ring-opening polymerization of enantiopure O-carboxyanhydrides, allowing for the synthesis of isotactic functionalized polyesters with high molecular weights (>140 kDa) and narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn < 1.1). We also demonstrate that these catalysts can be used for stereoselective ring-opening polymerization of racemic O-carboxyanhydrides to synthesize syndiotactic or stereoblock copolymers with different glass transition temperatures compared with their atactic counterparts.
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