Synthesis of Organotin Catalysts for the Polymerization of Lactide
Abstract
Organotin and organoaluminum catalysts have both been proven to be
good catalysts of polylactide, a biodegradable polymer. However, organotin
catalysts do not catalyze the ring opening polymerization of lactide quickly
enough to be used for most industrial applications. For this reason,
organotin catalysts are currently used. However, organotin catalysts
catalyze the transesterification of polylactide as well as the polymerization.
Two classes of alkyltin chloroacetate complexes were synthesized and
tested for catalytic and transesterificative ability. The first class of
complexes was dialkyltin bischloroacetates, and the second class was
trialkyltin monochloroacetates. Both classes proved to be catalytic toward
the polymerization of lactide, as well as toward transesterification. The
trialkyltin monochloroacetates proved to be quicker catalysts as well as
causing less transesterification.