Novel hydrolytically stable Lewis acidic ionic liquid catalyst system for polybutylene succinate (PBS) synthesis

Abstract

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) is considered to be a potential bio-alternative for petroleum-based polymers due to its environmentally benign nature and biodegradability. Despite its various advantages, its low thermal stability and lack of high molecular weight required for industrial applications restrict its implementation on a commercial scale. The synthesis of high molecular weight PBS remains a challenging task due to the hydrolytic instability of the catalyst as well as the thermal sensitivity of PBS. Herein, we report a Lewis acidic ionic liquid (LAIL) as a novel, mild, efficient and hydrolytically stable catalyst system for the synthesis of high molecular weight PBS. Further, the thermal stability of the PBS synthesized using the novel catalyst is found to be higher than the corresponding polymer synthesized using a conventional catalyst.