Abstract
Here we synthesise and characterise novel aromatic-aliphatic polyesters based on poly(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)benzoate) (P2HEB). The polyesters were a product of the ring-opening polymerisation of their respective substituted benzodioxepinones catalysed by an aluminium salen catalyst. The electronic effects of the substituents on the polymerisation and thermal behaviour were investigated. The polymerisation and depolymerisation kinetics showed faster rates for electron withdrawing groups with selective depolymerisation back to their cyclic monomers in 10 min at 110 °C. The thermal characterisation showed varying glass transition temperatures from 29.7 °C to 60.7 °C with electron withdrawing groups exhibiting higher values. An increase in the melting temperatures and the thermal degradation activation energies of the polyesters were also observed. The crystal structures of the polyesters corresponded to semi-crystalline polyesters. The polymerisation and thermal behaviour of these novel aromatic-aliphatic polyesters can be tuned through manipulation of the meta-positioned R group, thus expanding the scope of catalytically degradable, functionalized aromatic-aliphatic polyesters that are accessible through ring-opening polymerisation.
Published Version
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