Cationic catalysis using simple carboxylic acids to combine the ring-opening polymerization
of ε-caprolactone and the regioselective acylation of carbohydrates has been investigated. l-Lactic acid
catalyzed the acylation of methyl β-d-glucopyranoside and sucrose with ε-caprolactone in high yield by
bulk polymerization at 120 °C. The main products were regioselectively acylated on the primary hydroxyl
groups of the carbohydrate end groups. The overall conversion to methyl β-d-glucopyranoside-functionalized poly(ε-caprolactone) was more than 90%, M
w 2000 and polydispersity index 1.5, with one major
product methyl 6-O-poly(ε-caprolactone)-β-d-glucopyranoside, in agreement with the corresponding
Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed acylation.
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