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US 2013/0158230 A1Published application
Carbonylative Polymerization Methods
AssigneeCornell University
InventorsGeoffrey W. Coates, Erin Dunn
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Abstract
Provided are methods forming polymers. The methods include, for example, tandem carbonylation and polymerization reactions, where epoxides are catalytically carbonylated to form lactones and the lactones catalytically polymerized to form polymers without the need to isolate or purify the lactone intermediate. Also provided are methods for catalytically polymerizing beta-propiolactone. Homopolymers and copolymers can be formed using the methods disclosed herein.
Claims20
1) A method for making a polymer comprising:
- reacting one or more epoxides, carbon monoxide, and a carbonylation catalyst to form one or more lactones, and allowing the one or more lactones to react with a polymerization catalyst, without isolation or purification of the one or more lactones, to form a polymer.
18) A method for making a polymer comprising the steps of:
- reacting beta-propiolactone with a polymerization catalyst having the following structure:
- [C+][A−],
- wherein C+ is an organic cation or ligated metal cation, and
- wherein A− is a nucleophillic anion,
- with the proviso C+ is not a tetraethyl or tetra-n-butylammonium cation when A− is a pivalate anion,
- wherein a polymer is formed.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.