Tin-substituted mesoporous silica molecular sieve (Sn-HMS): synthesis and properties as a heterogeneous catalyst for lactide ring-opening polymerization

An Sn-substituted mesoporous silica molecular sieve (SN–HMS), prepared by neutral amine surfactant assembly of silicon and tin(IV) alkoxide precursors at ambient temperature, shows exceptional promise for producing poly(L-lactic acid) with polydispersity values near 1.1.