Stabilizing polypropiolactone by end-capping with end-capping agents
Provided herein are methods and systems for producing a thermally stable polylactone polymer comprising chain terminating the polymer with an end-capping agent to prevent scission of the polymer. Also provided is a thermally stable polylactone polymer wherein the polymer has a first end and a second end, wherein at least one of said first and second ends terminate in an end-capping agent.
1. A polymer, comprising:
a. a backbone having one or more beta lactones;
b. a first end being an initiator; and
c. a second end being a non-carboxylic acid end group derived from aniline derivative comprising one or more of benzothiazole, benzoxazole, benzimidazole, 2-aminothiophenol, o-phenylenediamine, or 2-aminophenol, or any combinations thereof.
2. The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the initiator comprises a residue of one or more of sodium stearate, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, sodium acrylate, sodium acetate, potassium salts of carboxylic acids in conjunction with 18-crown-6, salts of tetramethylammonium, salts of tetraphenylphosphonium, or salts of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium cations, or a combination thereof.
3. The polymer according to claim 1 wherein the polymer having the non-carboxylic acid end group of the aniline derivative corresponds to the formula;
wherein X is S, O or NH.