End Functionalization by Ring Opening Polymerization: Influence of Reaction Conditions on the Synthesis of End Functionalized Poly(lactic Acid)

In this paper, chemical functionalization of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was carried out by using of salicyl aldehyde (SAl) and salicylic acid (SAc) as co-initiators of ring opening polymerization (ROP). Two factorial designs (2(2)) were performed to evaluate the effects of the lactide/catalyst and co-initiator/catalyst molar ratios on the content of aldehyde or carboxylic acid end groups, thermal properties and molecular weight (Mw) of PLA. Tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate was used as a catalyst. The co-initiator/catalyst molar ratio has a statistically significant influence on the polymer functionalization. The highest co-initiator/catalyst molar ratio of 12/1 allows the best aldehyde or carboxylic acid functionalization, independent on the lactide/catalyst molar ratio. On the other hand, the used lactide/catalyst and co-initiator/catalyst molar ratios did not show a statistically significant influence on the polymer thermal properties. Besides, co-initiator/catalyst molar ratio has a statistically significant influence on the polymer molecular weight. So, the highest co-initiator/catalyst molar ratio used (12/1) in combination with the highest lactide/catalyst ratio (125/1) produced functionalized PLA with higher molecular weights.