The development of oligomer derivatives from cyclic ester monomers has recently received much attention due to their potential applications as plasticizers, green solvents, drug components, and additives. The previous synthesis involves several protection/deprotection in multi-step process. Only recently, simple metal complexes have been shown to be efficient catalysts for the synthesis of oligomers through alcoholysis of cyclic esters. In order to be commercially viable, the catalysts must be cheap and commercially available. With this mind, aluminium isopropoxide was selected and shown to be efficient catalyst for the alcoholysis of cyclic ester monomers. Several alcohols and cyclic ester monomers were studied.  The alcoholysis of lactide proceeded to varying degree of alkyl lactate and alkyl lactyllactate. However, the methanolysis of lactide at room temperature finished rapidly in 20 min giving methyl lactyllactate without further transesterification to methyl lactate.   <br/>

Rapid alcoholysis of cyclic esters using aluminium alkoxide

2019 Spring National Meeting

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