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Controlled Synthesis and Characterization of Poly[ethylene-block-(L,L-lactide)]s by Combining Catalytic Ethylene Oligomerization with “Coordination-Insertion” Ring-Opening Polymerization

✍ Scribed by Jochen O. Ring; Ralf Thomann; Rolf Mülhaupt; Jean-Marie Raquez; Philippe Degée; Philippe Dubois


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
2007
Tongue
English
Weight
284 KB
Volume
208
Category
Article
ISSN
1022-1352

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✦ Synopsis


Abstract

Model poly[ethylene‐block‐(L,L‐lactide)] (PE‐block‐PLA) block copolymers were successfully synthesized by combining metallocene catalyzed ethylene oligomerization with ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of L,L‐lactide (LA). Hydroxy‐terminated polyethylene (PE‐OH) macroinitiator was prepared by means of ethylene oligomerization on rac‐dimethyl‐silylen‐bis(2‐methyl‐benz[e]indenyl)‐zirconium(IV)‐dichloride/methylaluminoxane (rac‐MBI/MAO) in presence of diethyl zinc as a chain transfer agent, and subsequent in situ oxidation with synthetic air. Poly[ethylene‐block‐(L,L‐lactide)] block copolymers were obtained via ring‐opening polymerization of LA initiated by PE‐OH in toluene at 100 °C mediated by tin octoate. The formation of block copolymers was confirmed by ^1^H NMR spectroscopy, fractionation experiments, thermal behavior, and morphological characterization using AFM and light microscopy techniques.

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