MULTIFUNCTIONAL INITIATION OF LACTIDE POLYMERIZATION BY STANNOUS OCTOATE PENTAERYTHRITOL

Abstract

L-Lactide was polymerized with stannous 2-ethylhexanoate (stannous octoate) in the presence of pentaerythritol to investigate multifunctional initiation. The prepared oligomers contain star-shaped 4-arm molecules when the mole ratio of [lactide]/[pentaerythritol] is above 32. The molecular weight of oligomers coincides with the [lactide]/[pentaerythritol] ratio, indicating that pentaerythritol in conjugation with stannous octoate is an initiator for the "living" polymerization of L-lactide.