Ring-opening polymerization of γ-lactones and copolymerization with other cyclic monomers

Qilei Song (1, 2, 3) , Chloé Pascouau (1, 2) , Junpeng Zhao (3) , Guangzhao Zhang (3) , Frédéric Peruch (1, 2) , Stéphane Carlotti (1, 2)

1 LCPO - Laboratoire de Chimie des Polymères Organiques
2 Team 1 LCPO : Polymerization Catalyses & Engineering
3 SCUT - South China University of Technology [Guangzhou]

Triggered by raised environmental awareness and the rising requirements for sustainable polymers such as degradable or recyclable polymers, studies on ring-opening (co)polymerization (ROP/ROCP) of (bio-based) cyclic monomers (e.g., cyclic esters, lactides, epoxides etc.) have been booming in recent years. Renewable five-membered γ-butyrolactone (γBL) and derivatives would thus be a desirable feedstock to produce poly(γ-butyrolactone) (PγBL) and different (bio-based) functional polyesters. Their copolymerization with other cyclic monomers could also afford an alternative to tune the properties of the resulting materials. Although γBL was traditionally regarded "non-polymerizable", some progresses were made recently concerning the ROP/ROCP of γBL and derivatives. More importantly, some polyesters could be totally depolymerized back to their monomers by thermal or chemical treatment. This review is specially focused on ROP of γ-lactones and their copolymerization with other cyclic monomers by different catalytic/initiating systems, including Lewis/Brønsted acids, organic bases and alkali metal compounds, organometallic compounds, and cooperative bicomponent catalytic systems. The depolymerization process of some obtained polyesters is also discussed.

Mots clés: γ-lactones; polyester; ring-opening (co)polymerization; sustainable polymer

Domaines: Polymères

Qilei Song, Chloé Pascouau, Junpeng Zhao, Guangzhao Zhang, Frédéric Peruch, et al.. Ring-opening polymerization of γ-lactones and copolymerization with other cyclic monomers. Progress in Polymer Science, 2020, 110, pp.101309. ⟨10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2020.101309⟩. ⟨hal-02953317⟩