As the need for petroleum-based plastic alternatives is growing, efforts have been made to develop a wide variety of biobased polymer architectures. In this regard, we have investigated the synthesis of a novel, biobased, and degradable graft copolymer. A one-pot strategy was developed for the synthesis of the macromonomer, a telechelic poly(L-Lactide). Using simple and mild conditions, the lactone chain end polymer was obtained after three steps. Conditions were optimized and complete conversion was reached in each case. The polyester was characterized by <sup>1</sup>H and <sup>13</sup>C NMR spectroscopy, SEC and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. This new macromonomer was then copolymerized with γ-methyl-ε-caprolactone to synthesize a fully biobased graft copolymer. The kinetics of the graft-through copolymerizations were investigated. Conditions were optimized and a series of graft copolymers, with diverse structures (graft length, backbone length and graft density variations), were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, SEC, TGA and DSC. Mechanical properties were also evaluated, and the structure-property relationships were studied.

Poly(L-Lactide) chain-end macromonomer synthesis and graft-through ring-opening transesterification copolymerization with γ-methyl-ε-caprolactone

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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