Enzymatic ring-opening polymerization of oxiranes and dicarboxylic anhydrides

Oxiranes, such as glycidylphenyl ether, benzyl glycidate, glycidyl methyl ether, and styrene oxide, were copolymerized with dicarboxylic anhydrides, such as succinic anhydride, phthalic anhydride, and maleic anhydride by the action of an enzyme in a stepwise reaction to produce the corresponding polyesters containing some ether linkages having a maximum (M) over bar (w) of 13 500. Oxiranes such as glycidol and glycidyl phenyl ether were also homopolymerized and copolymerized with other oxirane by the enzyme to produce the corresponding polyethers.