Synthesis of multiblock poly( l-lactide)-co-poly( ε-caprolactone) from hydroxy-telechelic prepolymers prepared by using neodymium tetrahydroborate

• Published in: Reactive & functional polymers Vol. 67; no. 9; pp. 798 - 806
• Main Authors: Nakayama, Yuushou, Okuda, Shuji, Yasuda, Hajime, Shiono, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Multiblock co-polymer; Neodymium tetrahydroborate complex; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Poly( l-lactide); Poly( ε-caprolactone); Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Telechelic polymer; Poly( l-lactide); Poly( ε-caprolactone); Neodymium tetrahydroborate complex; Multiblock co-polymer; Telechelic polymer; Biological properties; Ring opening polymerization; Optically active polymer; Biodegradability; Lactic acid copolymer; Composition effect; Complex catalyst polymerization; Poly(L-lactide); Polyaddition; Solution polymerization; Thermal stability; Caprolactone copolymer; Esterurethane polymer; Hydroxyl group; Neodymium complex; Rare earth metal complex; Mechanical properties; Tensile property; Experimental study; Lactic acid polymer; Multiblock copolymer; Preparation; Enzymatic digestion; Poly(ε-caprolactone)
• ISSN: 1381-5148
• DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2006.12.006

Ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide by a neodymium tetrahydroborate complex, Nd(BH 4) 3(THF) 3 ( 1, THF = tetrahydrofuran), afforded hydroxy-telechelic poly( l-lactide) (HO-PLLA-OH) in a good yield. Chain extension of the HO-PLLA-OH by hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) successfully yielded poly(ester-urethane), whereas random chain extension of a mixture of HO-PLLA-OH and hydroxy-telechelic poly( ε-caprolactone) afforded multiblock PLLA-co-PCL. The PCL-rich multiblock co-polymers with high molar mass exhibited high tensile modulus and extremely high elongation at break.