Ring-opening terpolymerisation of phthalic thioanhydride with carbon dioxide and epoxides

Abstract

We report the ring-opening terpolymerisation (ROTERP) of phthalic thioanhydride with CO2 and epoxides forming statistical poly(ester-ran-thioester-ran-carbonates) employing heterobimetallic and bicomponent catalysts. Terpolymerisation occurs maintaining polymerisation rates of the faster parent ring-opening copolymerisation and enables the formation of CO2-derived terpolymers with butylene oxide at low CO2 pressure.