Highly isoselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-O-carboxyanhydrides using a zinc alkoxide initiator.

Highly isoselective ring-opening polymerization of rac-O-carboxyanhydrides using a zinc alkoxide initiator.
Chem Commun (Camb). 2019 Oct 10;:
Authors: Cui Y, Jiang J, Pan X, Wu J
Abstract
The stereoselective ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of O-carboxyanhydrides (OCAs) remains a major challenge due to the easy epimerization of monomers. In this work, using a zinc alkoxide initiator, highly efficient ROP of enantiopure 5-methyl-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (LacOCA), 5-benzyl-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (PheOCA), and 5-(4-(benzyloxy)benzyl)-1,3-dioxolane-2,4-dione (Try(Bn)OCA) was achieved without obvious epimerization. Moreover, highly isoselective ROP of rac-LacOCA, rac-PheOCA, and rac-Try(Bn)OCA was successful with the highest isoselectivity of Pm = 0.97 at -70 °C.
PMID: 31599885 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Chemical Communications - October 9, 2019 Category: Chemistry Authors: Cui Y, Jiang J, Pan X, Wu J Tags: Chem Commun (Camb) Source Type: research