Synthesis and Characterization of Star‐Shaped Diblock Poly(<i>ε</i>‐caprolactone)/Poly(ethylene oxide) Copolymers

Abstract

Abstract Summary: Star‐shaped hydroxy‐terminated poly( ε ‐caprolactone)s ( ss PCL), with arms of different lengths, were obtained by ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε ‐caprolactone initiated by pentaerythritol, and were condensed with α ‐methyl‐ ω ‐(3‐carboxypropionyloxy)‐poly(ethylene oxide)s ( $\overline M _{\rm n}$ = 550–5 000) to afford four‐armed PCL‐PEO star diblock copolymers ( ss PCL‐PEO). The polymers were characterized by 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopy and size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC). The melting behavior of ss PCLs was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). X‐ray diffraction and DSC techniques were used to investigate the crystalline phases of ss PCL‐PEOs. The part of the synthesis of four‐armed star‐shaped diblock poly( ε ‐caprolactone)‐poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers as described. image The part of the synthesis of four‐armed star‐shaped diblock poly( ε ‐caprolactone)‐poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers as described.