Macromolecular engineering of polylactones and polylactides. II.'Living' polymerization and selective end-functionalization of poly-ε-caprolactone

Recently, the authors reported about the end-functionalization of PCL chains using functional alkoxides as initiators. This paper discusses the potentialities of that strategy in preparing PCL selectively capped at one end by a bromide, an unsaturation or a diethylamine group respectively. Using the functional aluminum alkoxides the living character of ε-CL polymerization and the selective end-functionalization of the chains are analyzed.