Synthesis and characterization of linear polylactic acid-based urethanes using Tin modified solid cloisite-30B catalyst

In recent year, biocompatible, biodegradable materials (linear polylactic acid-based urethanes) in the solid and/or liquid form have attracted tremendous attention in biomedical application particularly in stent coating. Low molecular weight poly (lactic acid) s (PLA), having narrow molecular weight distribution was by dehydropolycondensation method using tetraphenyltin as a catalyst. Hydroxyl terminated linear polylactic acid was prepared reacting PLA with aliphatic diol compounds. The hydroxyl end groups were determined by 31 P NMR. PLA oligomers containing both hydroxyl and carboxylic groups were also synthesized by the ring opening polymerization using stannous octoate as an initiator and water as a coinitiator and their structures were confirmed by spectral techniques. The tin modified solid cloisite-30B catalyst was prepared and characterized. The reaction of PLA oligomers and isocyanates (4,4’ methylene bis (phenyldiisocyanate), toluenediisocyanate, 4,4’ methylenebis (cyclohexyldiisocyanate), hexamethylene diisocyanate) was carried out using tin modified solid cloisite-30B catalyst. The effect of the reaction conditions, i.e. the reaction temperature, molar ratio, isocyanates and catalyst on the molecular weight were explored. The structure of the ploymer samples was determined with FT IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI– TOF MS) and TEM. The present work will highlight the synthesis and characterization of various linear polylactic acid-based urethanes using tin modified solid cloisite catalyst. Copyright © 2012 VBRI press.