Anionic Ring-Opening Polymerization of D-Glucal-Derived Bicyclic Lactone toward Sustainable Degradable Polyesters

Growing environmental concerns over petroleum-based plastics have increased the demand for sustainable polymers derived from renewable feedstocks. Herein, we report the synthesis of novel degradable polyester via anionic ring-opening polymerization of a bio-derived bicyclic lactone monomer, D-glucal-derived lactone (DGL). The DGL monomer was prepared from tri-O-acetyl-D-glucal through a sequential five-step pathway and contains a trans-fused bicyclic scaffold and an acetal moiety for potential property tuning. The resulting P(DGL) was characterized by NMR, GPC, and MALDI-ToF analyses, which revealed controlled polymerization. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to estimate the ring strain energy and thermodynamic propensity for ring-opening. This study highlights the potential of D-glucal-derived bicyclic lactones as a promising platform for designing degradable polyesters with tunable structures and sustainable end-of-life options.