Porcine Pancreas Lipase Catalyzed Ring‐Opening Polymerization of ϵ‐Caprolactone

Extensive studies on lipase catalyzed polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactone showed that porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) gave good conversions and molecular weights of the order of 11,000. Various attempts were also made to prepare higher molecular weight polycaprolactone esters and to increase the molecular weights of polycaprolactone esters by further polymerizing it in the presence of other potent bifunctional monomers. Blends of enzymatically prepared polycaprolactone ester with polystyrene and cellulose acetate yielded very good films, which were characterized in terms of tensile strength, elongation, and optical properties.