Issue 3, 2022

Access to high-molecular-weight poly(γ-butyrolactone) by using simple commercial catalysts

Abstract

The emerging poly(γ-butyrolactone) (PGBL) represents a significant branch of sustainable polymers that exhibit full chemical recyclability. However, it is a great challenge to synthesize high-molecular-weight PGBL. Herein, we present simple commercial organomagnesium compounds for ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of γ-butyrolactone (GBL). Through facile manipulation of the reaction conditions, the topology of PGBL could be well controlled. The addition of organomagnesium into the premixture of GBL and Ph2CHOH yielded predominantly Ph2CHO/H terminated linear polymers. By using di-n-butylmagnesium in the absence of Ph2CHOH, predominantly linear PGBL (Mn, SEC-MALS = 110 kg mol−1) with butyl/H chain ends was produced and it exhibited enhanced mechanical properties (elongation at break 735%, tensile strength 50.1 MPa). We believe that this contribution would provide insights into sustainable polymer synthesis and catalysis.

Graphical abstract: Access to high-molecular-weight poly(γ-butyrolactone) by using simple commercial catalysts

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Oct 2021
Accepted
11 Dec 2021
First published
13 Dec 2021

Polym. Chem., 2022,13, 439-445

Access to high-molecular-weight poly(γ-butyrolactone) by using simple commercial catalysts

Y. Liu, X. Yuan, J. Wu, X. Hu, N. Zhu and K. Guo, Polym. Chem., 2022, 13, 439 DOI: 10.1039/D1PY01340H

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