Syntheses and Properties of Novel Copolymers of Poly(1,4-dioxane-2-one) and Aliphatic Polycarbonate Based on Ketal-Protected Dihydroxyacetone

Novel random copolymers of 1,4-dioxane-2-one (DON) and 2,2-ethylenedioxy-1,3-propanediol carbonate (EOPDC) are synthesized in bulk at 120 degrees C using Sn(Oct)2 as a catalyst. The effects of different molar feed ratios of EOPDC/DON on the yield and molecular weight of the copolymers are investigated. The copolymers are obtained with a yield of 55.498%. The number-average molecular weight of the copolymer is 0.494.18 x 104 g mol1 with a polydispersity of 1.521.68. The poly(DON-co-EOPDC)s obtained are characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, gel-permeation chromatography (GPC), and DSC. The hydrolytic degradation of the copolymer in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is also investigated. The results show that both the hydrophilicity and the degradation rate of the copolymers increase with increasing copolymer DON content.