Catalytic Assistance of the Free Amino Groups of Monomers in the Reaction of Producing Biodegradable Polyurethanes from Amines and Cyclocarbonates

Abstract

With the use of quantum-chemical and kinetic methods, the influence of free amino groups in amine monomers on the rate of their reaction with ethylene carbonate is studied. It was stated that the catalytic effect in diamine appears at the length of the chain of 3–7 atoms. A decrease in activation barriers is associated with the formation of less strained proton transfer and stabilization cycles in transition states. The theoretically found dependence of the rates of aminolysis of ethylenecarbonate on the structure of amines is confirmed experimentally by kinetic measurements.