Macromolecules, Vol.41, No.5, 1663-1666, 2008
Ring-opening polymerization of the trimethylcaprolactone isomers and investigations of their polymerizability
3,5,5'-Trimethylcaprolactone and 3,3',5-trimethylcaprolactone are characterized with various spectroscopic methods. Their ability of ring-opening is correlated with semiempirical calculations and is compared to unsubstituted lactones of different ring sizes. The results of the computations are verified by measurements of reaction kinetics of the polymerizations.