Advances in the Synthesis of Poly(Phenolic Ester)s via Ring-Opening Polymerization

The poly(phenolic ester)s are attracting growing attention due to their essential role in the application as biodegradable plastics. Thus, extensive efforts have been devoted to the development of methodology that allows facile preparation of poly(phenolic ester)s with controlled molecular weights for widespread utilities. However, it is highly challenging to introduce phenolic ester bond structure into polyesters from ring-opening polymerization (ROP) to yield aromatic/semiaromatic poly(phenolic ester)s due to severe transesterification reactions. To synthesize poly(phenolic ester)s with desired structures and properties, scientists have developed various ring-opening polymerization systems with distinct advantages. Here, we have summarized basic features and recent progresses of these methods, including the cyclic phenolic lactone polymerization system, the salicylic acid O-carboxyanhydride polymerization system, and the dissymmetric cyclic phenolic lactide polymerization system, as well as other copolymerization routes. Furthermore, the advantages and unsettled problems in various synthetic ways are discussed for readers to choose fast and controllable ROP systems for poly(phenolic ester)s. The synthesis of poly(phenolic ester)s via ROP of cyclic phenolic lactones, the monomer-polymer system shows both high polymerizability and high depolymerizability. image