Biodegradable alkylene oxide-lactone copolymers
First Claim
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1. A biodegradable, capped alkylene oxide-lactone copolymer, the copolymer comprising polymerized:
- A. Alkylene oxide units derived from an alkylene oxide of the formula ##STR4## in which each R, individually, is hydrogen, a C1 -C6 alkyl or alkoxy radical, or in which the two R substituents together with both vicinal epoxy carbons form a saturated or monoethylenically unsaturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon ring; and
B. Lactone units derived from a lactone of the formula ##STR5## in which n is at least two and each R'"'"' is independently hydrogen, C1 -C4 alkyl, cyclohexyl, C1 -C4 alkoxy or a single ring aromatic hydrocarbon radical;
with the proviso that at least four R'"'"' are hydrogen; and
the cap comprising a polymer block of polymerized alkylene oxide units derived from an alkylene oxide of Formula I in (A) above.
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Abstract
The biodegradability of polyglycol-based block copolymers is improved by including in the copolymer a lactone. Representative of these biodegradable enhanced copolymers are those made of 1,2-butylene oxide and ε-caprolactone capped with a homopolymer block of ethylene oxide. The copolymers of this invention have many uses, such as nonionic surfactants, foam control agents, lubricants, and the like.
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20 Claims
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1. A biodegradable, capped alkylene oxide-lactone copolymer, the copolymer comprising polymerized:
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A. Alkylene oxide units derived from an alkylene oxide of the formula ##STR4## in which each R, individually, is hydrogen, a C1 -C6 alkyl or alkoxy radical, or in which the two R substituents together with both vicinal epoxy carbons form a saturated or monoethylenically unsaturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon ring; and B. Lactone units derived from a lactone of the formula ##STR5## in which n is at least two and each R'"'"' is independently hydrogen, C1 -C4 alkyl, cyclohexyl, C1 -C4 alkoxy or a single ring aromatic hydrocarbon radical;
with the proviso that at least four R'"'"' are hydrogen; and
the cap comprising a polymer block of polymerized alkylene oxide units derived from an alkylene oxide of Formula I in (A) above. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15, 17, 19)
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7. A biodegradable alkylene oxide-lactone copolymer prepared by contacting under copolymerization conditions:
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A. At least one alkylene oxide of the formula ##STR7## in which each R, individually, is hydrogen, a C1 -C6 alkyl or alkoxy radical, or in which the two R substituents together with both vicinal epoxy carbons form a saturated or monoethylenically unsaturated cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon ring; and B. At least one lactone of the formula in which n is at least two and each R'"'"' is independently hydrogen, C1 -C4 alkyl, cyclohexyl, C1 -C4 alkoxy or a single ring aromatic hydrocarbon ##STR8## radical;
with the proviso that at least four R'"'"' are hydrogen;
C. A polyfunctional initiator of the formula
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">R.sup.v (YH).sub.z (V)in which Rv is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic radical;
z is at least two; and
each Y is independently --O--, --S--, --NH-- or --NRvi --, Rvi being an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl radical; andD. A catalyst selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxide, alkaline earth hydroxides and Lewis acids, in an amount that will promote the copolymerization of the alkylene oxide and the lactone. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20)
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Specification