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Synthesis of poly(lactic acid)–poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers using multi-SO3H-functionalized ionic liquid as the efficient and reusable catalyst

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Abstract

Poly(lactic acid)–poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers were synthesized under the catalysis of multi-SO3H-functionalized ionic liquid. Compared to the ordinary ionic liquids and the traditional Lewis acid catalysts, the ionic liquids with multi-sulfonic acid groups were more catalytically active, and the reaction conversion rate reached up to 97.8 %. The molecular weight of the resulting copolymer was 5.69 × 104 g mol−1 and the degree of crystallinity was 42.9 %. The copolymers were also of higher hydrophilicity and better mechanical properties. The reaction kinetics of copolymerization was analyzed. The intrinsically high catalytic activity of multi-SO3H groups originated from the lower activation energy and the higher free acidity. The recovering catalytic activity of the multi-SO3H ionic liquid catalyst was higher, suggesting that it is a recyclable, environmentally friendly catalyst.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by Natural Science Funds of Shandong Province of China (Y2007B42), Research Funds of Shandong Jianzhu University (XN110110) and Free Exploring Program of Key laboratory of Shandong Jianzhu University (2013kf097), and Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (Grant No. IRT1066).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, People’s Republic of China

    Hui-xue Ren, You-min Sun, Dao-ji Wu, Yong-shan Ma & Xiao-feng Wei

  2. National Engineering Research Centre for Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing, 210009, People’s Republic of China

    Hui-xue Ren & Han-jie Ying

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  1. Hui-xue Ren
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  2. Han-jie Ying
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Correspondence to Hui-xue Ren or Han-jie Ying.

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Ren, Hx., Ying, Hj., Sun, Ym. et al. Synthesis of poly(lactic acid)–poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers using multi-SO3H-functionalized ionic liquid as the efficient and reusable catalyst. Polym. Bull. 71, 1173–1195 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-014-1117-2

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