Polymer technology for use in flow reactors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11279798-B2
Application number	US-202016821286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2020
Priority date	Mar 17, 2020
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

Techniques regarding catalyzing one or more ring-opening polymerizations within one or more flow reactors using one or more organometallic bases are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can comprise a method, which can include forming a polymer, via a ring-opening polymerization within a flow reactor, from a cyclic monomer in the presence of an organometallic base and a primary alcohol initiator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
forming a polymer, via a ring-opening polymerization within a flow reactor, from a cyclic monomer in the presence of an organometallic base and a primary alcohol initiator, wherein the organometallic base catalyzes the ring-opening polymerization via a deprotonation of the primary alcohol.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cyclic monomer is selected from the group consisting of: an epoxide, an episulfide, an aziridine, a thiolactone, a cyclic ester, a cyclic amide, a cyclo-siloxane, a cyclic carbonate, a cyclic carbosilane, and a cyclic phosphoester.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organometallic base is selected from the group consisting of an organometallic amide and an organometallic alkoxide.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cyclic monomer is δ-valerolactone , and wherein the organometallic base is selected from the group consisting of potassium t-butoxide and potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cyclic monomer is ε-caprolactone, and wherein the organometallic base is selected from the group consisting of potassium t-butoxide and potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a block copolymer, via a second ring-opening polymerization within the flow reactor, from the polymer in the presence of a second cyclic monomer and an organocatalyst.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
switching an active catalyst from the organometallic base to the organocatalyst post polymerization of the polymer via a proton transfer.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the organocatalyst is selected from the group consisting of: a urea compound, a thiourea compound, and an imidazolium compound.

9. A method, comprising:
forming a polymer, via a ring-opening polymerization within a flow reactor, from a cyclic monomer in the presence of an organometallic amide base and primary alcohol initiator.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cyclic monomer is selected from the group consisting of: an epoxide, an episulfide, an aziridine, a thiolactone, a cyclic ester, a cyclic amide, a cyclo-siloxane, a cyclic carbonate, a cyclic carbosilane, and a cyclic phosphoester.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cyclic monomer is selected from the group consisting of δ-valerolactone, ε-caprolactone, and 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1,2,5-oxadisilolane.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
forming a block copolymer, via a second ring-opening polymerization within the flow reactor, from the polymer in the presence of a second cyclic monomer and an organocatalyst.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
switching an active catalyst from the organometallic amide base to the organocatalyst post polymerization of the polymer via a proton transfer.

14. A method, comprising:
forming a polymer, via a ring-opening polymerization within a flow reactor, from a cyclic monomer in the presence of an organometallic alkoxide base and primary alcohol initiator, wherein the organometallic alkoxide base catalyzes the ring-opening polymerization via a deprotonation of the primary alcohol.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cyclic monomer is selected from the group consisting of: an epoxide, an episulfide, an aziridine, a thiolactone, a cyclic ester, a cyclic amide, a cyclo-siloxane, a cyclic carbonate, a cyclic carbosilane, and a cyclic phosphoester.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the cyclic monomer is selected from the group consisting of δ-valerolactone, ε-caprolactone, and 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1,2,5-oxadisilolane.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming a block copolymer, via a second ring-opening polymerization within the flow reactor, from the polymer in the presence of a second cyclic monomer and an organocatalyst.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
switching an active catalyst from the organometallic alkoxide base to the organocatalyst post polymerization of the polymer via a proton transfer.

Assignees

• IBM
• Univ Leland Stanford Junior

Inventors

• Park Nathaniel H
• Hedrick James L
• Arrechea Pedro Luis
• Erdmann Tim
• Lin Binhong
• Waymouth Robert M
• Jadrich Caleb Nathaniel
• Pane Vince Evan

Classifications

• C08G63/823

  for the preparation of polylactones or polylactides · CPC title

• C08F295/00

  Macromolecular compounds obtained by polymerisation using successively different catalyst types without deactivating the intermediate polymer · CPC title

• C08G63/785

  characterised by the apparatus used · CPC title

• C08G64/0208

  saturated · CPC title

• C08G64/30

  using carbonates · CPC title