Macromolecules 2004, 37, 1243-1250
1243
Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of New Brush Copolymers Comprising Poly(ω-pentadecalactone) with Unusual Thermal and Crystalline Properties Bhanu Kalra, Ajay Kumar, and Richard A. Gross* NSF-I/UCRC Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing of Macromolecules, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic University, Six Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Massimo Baiardo and Mariastella Scandola* Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician” and ISOF-C.N.R., University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy Received July 25, 2003; Revised Manuscript Received December 10, 2003
ABSTRACT: Lipases from different sources were screened to determine their relative performance to catalyze ω-pentadecalactone (PDL) ring-opening polymerization from the hydroxyl group of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2-HEMA) and ω-hydroxyl-ω′-methacrylate-poly(ethylene glycol) [PEGMA (Mn 360)]. Novozym 435 was found to be the most active biocatalyst for 2-HEMA/PEGMA-initiated PDL ring-opening polymerizations at 70 °C for 48 h in toluene (1:2 w/v of monomers). Thus, 2-HEMA-terminated PPDL was synthesized in yields of ∼80% and with
