Yixin Ren
The University of Texas, USA
Title: Neodymium-based catalysts NdCl3•3L (L = triethyl phosphate (TEP) or tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) for ring opening polymerization of ε-Caprolactone
Biography
Biography: Yixin Ren
Abstract
Neodymium-based catalysts bearing phosphate ligands NdCl3·3L (L = triethyl phosphate (TEP) or tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) were successfully synthesized. The ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) initiated with these catalysts in the presence of a series of alcohols were performed yielding polymers with the narrow polydispersity index (PDI = 1.22 to 1.55) and controllable molecular weight. An important result from the kinetic studies revealed that the sterically bulkier ligand TEHP, as compared to TEP ligand significantly increased the rate for ROP of ε-CL. Di-block copolymers poly(ε-CL)-block-poly(D,L-lactide) via sequential monomer addition were successfully synthesized demonstrating the living nature of the catalytic system.Â