NOVEL LIPASE-CATALYZED RING-OPENING COPOLYMERIZATION OF OXIRANES AND SUCCINIC ANHYDRIDE FORMING POLYESTERS BEARING FUNCTIONAL-GROUPS

Oxiranes, such as glycidyl phenyl ether (GPE) and benzyl glycidate (BG ), were copolymerized with succinic anhydride (SA) by lipase at a temp erature between 60 and 80 degrees C to yield the corresponding polyest ers bearing carboxyl or phenyl groups. Bulk polymerization, especially at the temperature of 80 degrees C, and preferably using porcine panc reatic lipase gave biodegradable polyesters with a molecular weight gr eater than 5000.