Preparation of l-Lactide/3-Glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane Copolymeric Materials with Various Catalysts

Copolymerization reactions of 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTS) with l-lactide (LLA) at 100 °C for different time intervals are performed by various catalysts such as zirconium perfluoroheptanoate, and commercially available Tin(II) chloride (SnCl2) and sodium trimethylsilanolate (NaOSiMe3). Homo- and copolymers are characterized by FTIR, 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopies, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and gel permeation chromatography. All selected catalysts are effective in ROP of monomers. Especially, SnCl2 is more reactive catalyst in the copolymerization of LLA/GPTS. The structure of final product is found as random copolymers.