Coordination complexes as catalysts for the production of polyesters

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The increased used of plastics is accompanied by an increased chance for these materials to escape the disposal/recycle path and to accumulate in the environment. Most plastics, in particular polyolefins, are chemically very inert and thus do not degrade in the environment. This can lead to ecological problems from the macroscopic scale (entanglement of wildlife) to the microscopic scale (absorption of organic contaminants on microplastics). An alternative to standard polyolefin plastics are biodegradable materials, such as polyesters, that can decompose to carbon dioxide and water under the right conditions. However, current knowledge on producing polyesters lags behind the existing know-how for polyolefins. To make these materials not only ecologically, but also economically feasible and to generate them with the same range of characteristics found in polyolefins, we have to find ways to control the polymerization of lactones to polyesters. This research program targets the development of improved catalysts for the production of polyesters to increase the chance of these biodegradable materials to compete with traditional plastics.