Ring-opening polymerization behavior of l-lactide catalyzed by aluminum alkyl catalysts

• Published in: Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry (Seoul, Korea) Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 1137 - 1143
• Main Authors: Yoo, Ji Yun, Kim, Youngjo, Ko, Young Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25.07.2013; 한국공업화학회
• Subjects: Aluminum; Aluminum alkyls; Biodegradable polymer; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Conversion; Molecular weight; Poly(lactide); Polymerization; Ring-opening polymerization; 화학공학; Ring-opening polymerization; Aluminum alkyls; Poly(lactide); Biodegradable polymer
• ISSN: 1226-086X; 1876-794X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2012.12.010

The l-lactide polymerization using trimethylaluminum (TMA), triethylaluminum (TEAL), trioctylaluminum (TOA), triisobutylaluminum (TIBA), and aluminum isopropoxide (Al(O-i-Pr)3) were studied to produce a PLA. The conversion, turnover frequency (TOF), and molecular weight of TIBA were higher than those of Al(O-i-Pr)3 with the polymerization time of 5min. In the case of 15min, the conversion of aluminum alkyls was lower than that of Al(O-i-Pr)3, but the molecular weight of PLA produced by aluminum alkyl was relatively high in comparison with the catalytic activity of Al(O-i-Pr)3. TMA, TEAL, and TIBA seemed to have lower propagation rates and much lower termination rates than Al(O-i-Pr)3.