On the thermal degradation of poly‐ε‐caprolactone

Abstract

Abstract The thermal degradation of poly(oxycarbonylpentamethylene), (poly‐ε‐caprolactone), ( 3 ), was investigated at 220°C and 80 mm Hg under nitrogen. 3 was found to be thermally much more stable than poly(oxycarbonylethylene), (poly‐β‐propiolactone), ( 1 ), although it decomposed faster than poly(oxycarbonyl‐1,1‐dimethylethylene), (polypivalolactone), ( 2 ). The reaction was of the first order with a rate constant of k =6,2.10 −4 min −1 and proceeded via a “zipper mechanism” to yield monomeric ε‐caprolactone.