Aliphatic polyesters are a versatile class of hydrolytically degradable materials that can potentially be sourced from bioderived feedstocks. γ-Methyl-ε-caprolactone (4MCL) is a particularly useful cyclic ester monomer that can be incorporated into a myriad of polymer architectures as an amorphous, low glass transition material with a low entanglement molar mass. Recent work in our group has demonstrated the use of poly(4MCL) to make biodegradable elastomers with outstanding mechanical properties. 4MCL can be produced economically using p-cresol as a starting material; a chemical that can be acquired from sustainable feedstocks. A key feature of cresol production from crude feedstocks is that additional synthetic and/or manufacturing steps are required to separate pure meta- and para-cresol isomers due to the close proximity of their boiling points. Therefore, using a mixed feed of isomers to access poly(MCL) materials can significantly streamline the process of manufacturing these materials sustainably. Additionally, the use of organocatalysts in lieu of traditional tin-based catalysts averts many issues with potential environmental and human toxicity in these biodegradable materials. In this presentation, I will talk about our recent work on poly(MCL)s synthesized using a mixed feed of MCL isomers from a combined production, synthesis, characterization, applications, and sustainability perspective.

Efficient polymerization of methyl-ε-caprolactones to access functional and degradable aliphatic polyesters

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.