Synthesis of Polycaprolactone with Two Carboxyl End Groups

At 225℃. caprolactone has been polymerized in the presence of succinic acid under dry nitrogen atmosphere. Characterizations of the polymer through IR and molecular weight measurements by 1H-NMR and end group titration have shown that the polycaprolactone obtained is of two carboxyl end groups. The molecular weight of it increases with decreasing of the acid content in the reaction mixture under the same polymerization conditions. With a certain ratio of acid to caprolactone. the maximum of molecular weight of the polymer will be reached at the reaction time of 3h.