Use of a catalytic system for lactide and glycolide (co) oligomerization

1. A catalytic system comprising:

(a) a styrene and divinylbenzene-based macroreticular resin with sulphonic acid that functions as a strongly acidic ion-exchange resin polymeric catalyst;

(b) a (co)oligomerization additive of general formula (2)

H—O—R 2   (2)

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or a group of formula -E 14 (R 14 )(R′ 14 )(R″ 14 );

wherein E 14 is a carbon atom; R 14 , R′ 14 and R″ 14 represent, independently, a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or non-substituted alkyl radical;

wherein said substituent or substituents comprise alkyls, carboxys, and alkoxycarbonyls, or mixtures thereof; and

(c) lactide and/or glycolide monomers;

wherein the quantity of monomer relative to the quantity of (co)oligomerization additive ranges from 4 to 10 molar equivalents and the conversion of monomer is greater than 95%.

2. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric catalyst comprises a macroreticular Amberlyst® or Dowex® resin.

3. The catalytic system of claim 2 , wherein the polymeric catalyst comprises an Amberlyst® resin.

4. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein the compound of general formula (2) is such that

E represents an oxygen atom;

R 1 represents a hydrogen atom;

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or a group of formula -E 14 (R 14 )(R′ 14 )(R″ 14 )

wherein E 14 represents a carbon atom and

R 14 , R′ 14 , and R″ 14 represent, independently, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical.

5. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein the compound of general formula (2) comprises water or an alcohol.

6. The catalytic system of claim 5 , wherein the compound of general formula (2) comprises an aliphatic alcohol.

7. The catalytic system of claim 6 , wherein the compound of general formula (2) comprises isopropanol, pentan-1-ol, dodecan-1-ol, or mixtures thereof.

8. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein the (co)oligomerization results in a degree of polymerization is less than 30.

9. A catalytic system comprising:

(a) a styrene and divinylbenzene-based macroreticular resin with sulphonic acid that functions as a strongly acidic ion-exchange resin polymeric catalyst;

(b) a (co)oligomerization additive of general formula (2)

R 1 -E-R 2 (2)  (2)

wherein:

E represents an element of group 16;

R 1 represents a hydrogen or deuterium atom;

R 2 represents a hydrogen or deuterium atom, or a group of formula -E 14 (R 14 )(R′ 14 )(R″ 14 );

wherein:

E 14 is an element of group 14;

R 14 , R′ 14 and R″ 14 represent, independently, a hydrogen atom; a deuterium atom;

or a substituted or non-substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl,

wherein said substituent or substituents comprise: halos, hydroxys, alkyls, alkoxys, cycloalkyls, cycloalkoxys, aryls, aryloxys, carboxys, alkoxycarbonyls, cycloalkoxycarbonyls and aryloxycarbonyls or mixtures thereof;

and

(c) lactide and/or glycolide monomers;

wherein the quantity of monomer relative to the quantity of (co)oligomerization additive ranges from 4 to 10 molar equivalents and the conversion of monomer is greater than 95%; and

wherein the catalytic system is capable of producing a (co)polymer where the (co)polymer comprises R2-alcohol ends; and/or the polydispersity indexes of the (co)polymer are between 1.0 and 1.4.

10. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass between 300 and 5,000 Daltons.

11. The catalytic system of claim 10 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass between 500 and 3,000 Daltons.

12. The catalytic system of claim 1 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass less than 5,000 Daltons.

13. The catalytic system of claim 9 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass between 300 and 5,000 Daltons.

14. The catalytic system of claim 13 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass between 500 and 3,000 Daltons.

15. The catalytic system of claim 9 , wherein said catalytic system produces (co)polymers with a mass less than 5,000 Daltons.