Polymerization of Racemic β-Butyrolactone Using Gold Catalysts: A Simple Access to Biodegradable Polymers

Abstract

Novel gold(I) complexes containing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands have been synthesized and fully characterized. The resulting mononuclear gold complexes act as active initiators in the polymerization of rac-β-butyrolactone under solvent-free conditions to provide the corresponding biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate).