Synthesis of novel functional poly[(R,S)‐ß‐hydroxybutyrate] containing phosphonoacetate end groups

Amorphous poly[(R,S)‐ß‐hydroxybutyrate], containing both phosphonoacetate and carboxylate functional end groups, was synthesized via anionic polymerization of racemic ß‐butyro‐lactone initiated by supramolecular complexes of potassium P,P‐dimethylphosphonoacetate. The living homopolymers, with alkali metal counter ions complexed with a crown ether, were utilized for the synthesis of block copolymers via condensation reaction with alkylene dihalides. As a result of this approach, coupled block copolymers containing phosphonoacetate functional end groups were obtained.