Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed synthesis of polyesters: starting from ketones via a tandem BVO/ROP process

A novel enzymatic tandem procedure for the synthesis of substituted polyesters starting from ketones has been developed. Candida antarctica lipase B (CAL-B) was used as a catalyst for the whole procedure consisting of the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation (BVO) of substituted ketones and the subsequent ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of corresponding substituted lactones. The products of oxidation and polymerization were characterized by 1H-NMR, IR and GPC. The substituents of the ketones greatly influenced the molecular weights of the obtained polyesters, ranging from 1000 to 12 800.