Ring-opening polymerization of optically active .beta.-butyrolactone using distannoxane catalysts: synthesis of high-molecular-weight poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

Abstract

We disclose here that the distannoxane catalysts (2) exhibit a high reactivity in the ring-opening polymerization of /3-butyrolactone to afford poly [(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] of high molecular weight (A/" > 100 000).

Structural Effects on the Biodegradation of Aliphatic Polyesters

“…As techniques of asymmetric synthesis make progress, a chemical synthetic method of optically active microbial polyesters, P[(R)-3HB], has been developing by Hori et al [2] …”

Structure and morphology of poly(?-hydroxybutyrate) synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of racemic (R,S)-?-butyrolactone with distannoxane derivatives

“…20 Kricheldorf and co‐workers8, 21 reported that polymerization of lactones with tributyltin methoxide proceeds by a coordination insertion mechanism where chain growth involves cleavage of the acyl‐oxygen bond. Hori et al 22 also reported the ring‐opening polymerization of ( R )‐β‐BL with a distannoxane catalyst to afford P( R )‐HB, in which the polymerization of ( R )‐β‐BL is proceeded by acyl cleavage with retention of configuration.…”

Stereoselective Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Heterocyclic Monomers

“…As mentioned above, chirality of the monomer is retained in the ring-opening polymerization of β-butyrolactone. Thus, enantiopure monomer affords optically active isotactic polymers (41)(42)(43)(44).…”