Lipase-catalyzed synthesis of aliphatic polyesters in supercritical carbon dioxide

• Published in: e-Polymers
• Main Authors: Takamoto, Tetsufumi, Uyama, Hiroshi, Kobayashi, Shiro
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2001
• Subjects: Polymers and Plastics; Physical and Theoretical Chemistry; General Chemical Engineering; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/epoly.2001.1.1.19; https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/epoly/1/1/article-004.xml; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/epoly.2001.1.1.19/pdf

Abstract Synthesis of aliphatic polyesters has been examined using Candida antarctica lipase in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ). The enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) proceeded in scCO 2 to give a polymer with molecular weight higher than 104. Effects of reaction parameters such as the monomer concentration, enzyme amount and pressure have been systematically investigated. Copolymerization of ε-CL with 12-docecanolide afforded the random copolymer. The enzymatic polycondensation of divinyl adipate and 1,4-butanediol also proceeded in scCO 2 to produce the corresponding polyester.