Fig. 7 | Nature Communications

Fig. 7

From: Fast and selective organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization by fluorinated alcohol without a cocatalyst

Fig. 7

Proposed mechanism of ROP of Glu-NCA catalyzed by 1,3-Bis-HFAB. The nucleophilic ring-opening of the NCA by DMEA in the presence of 1,3-Bis-HFAB leads to the initiation of polymerization, whereby the ring-opened NCA releases one carbon dioxide molecule and forms the propagating amine for the subsequent addition of NCA monomers. During polymerization, multiple hydrogen-bonding equilibriums involving NCA monomer, initiator (DMEA), catalyst (1,3-Bis-HFAB), and propagating polymer chain exist. The catalysis proceeds by simultaneous activation of the carbonyl of NCA monomer and dynamic protection of the polymer chain-end amine group via hydrogen bonding to 1,3-Bis-HFAB

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