Low-Temperature and Solventless Ring-Opening Polymerization of Eutectic Mixtures of l-Lactide and Lactones for Biodegradable Polyesters

Biodegradability is one of the key features for reducingthe negativeenvironmental impact of plastic waste disposal; therefore, designingbiocompatible polymeric biomaterials with programmable life cyclesis urgently needed. Herein, deep eutectic solvent monomers (DESm)composed of l-lactide and various lactones of different molecularweights were formulated to obtain polyesters at low temperatures withthe aid of organocatalysts and under solventless conditions. The introducedDESm expand the range of eutectic mixtures capable of undergoing ring-openingpolymerization (ROP) to include mixtures of l-lactide with & delta;-valerolactone and & delta;-hexalactone. Extending the toolboxfor DESm preparation will allow for the design of polyesters withtailored molecular weight and crystallinity, which are conducive toprogrammable degradability. ROP of DESm carried out at low temperaturesand under solventless conditions holds promise for a sustainable frameworkfor preparing biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications.