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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
Published on: November 21, 2017
Synthesis of Functional Polyesters N-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole by Anionic Ring-Opening
Marina Markova1, Artem Emel'yanov1, Inna Tatarinova1
1A.E. Favorsky Irkutsk Institute of Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1 Favorsky Str., 664033 Irkutsk, Russia.
Abstract:
The functional polyethers of N-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindole (in up to 61% yield, Mw = 8.7-11.7 kDa) and copolymers with ethylene glycol methylglycidyl ether (Mw = 5.6-14.2 kDa) and ethylene glycol vinylglycidyl ether (Mw = 6.4-12.3 kDa) have been synthesized via anionic ring-opening polymerization in the presence of KOH without solvent. The polymerization involves the opening of the epoxy ring to deliver the linear polyethers bearing free tetrahydroindole rings and oxyethylene or vinyloxy groups in the side chain. The polyethers are soluble in ethanol, benzene, chloroform, dioxane, DMF, and DMSO. The polyethers obtained exhibit the properties of high-resistance organic semiconductors: their electrical conductivity reaches 10-14 S/cm.
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