Dispersity-controlled ring-opening polymerization of epoxide

Yubo Zhou, Junpeng Zhao () and Guangzhao Zhang
Additional contact information
Yubo Zhou: South China University of Technology
Junpeng Zhao: South China University of Technology
Guangzhao Zhang: South China University of Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Dispersity or molar mass distribution (ÐM) profoundly influences polymer properties, but its control remains a challenge, especially for ring-opening polymerization (ROP). We report here a simple approach to tailor ÐM of aliphatic polyethers, e.g., poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide), by introducing an editable chain-transfer reaction in organocatalyzed ROP of epoxides. Trifluoroacetate, acting as the chain-transfer agent (CTA), brings about non-uniform growth of polyether chains while ensuring complete initiation efficiency and readily removable CTA residue. Triple control over ÐM (1.05–2.00), molar mass (3.6–17.7 kg mol−1), and end group is achieved simply by regulating the feed ratio, conforming well with the theoretical modeling. Experimental and calculation results reveal the orthogonality between chain growth and transesterification which is key to the three-modular ROP for independent ÐM control.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62028-x Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62028-x

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62028-x

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().