An energy efficient and facile synthesis of high molecular weight polyesters using ketenes.

A facile, ketene-based strategy for the synthesis of polyesters from stable Meldrum's acid monomers has been developed which overcomes many issues associated with traditional step-growth procedures. A significant increase in polymerization efficiency is observed with only 10 min reaction time at 220 °C being needed to obtain high molecular weight polymers. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011