Aliphatic polyesters prepared by the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters have shown great promise as sustainable polymers due to the potential bio-renewable feedstock, biodegradability and good material performance. The recently developed base/(thio)urea binary catalysts have achieved great success for the “living”/controlled ROP of cyclic esters due to their high catalytic activity and selectivity. In this review, we will highlight the latest achievements in the synthesis of sustainable polyesters mediated by base/(thio)urea binary catalysts. We first introduce the mechanistic insight of base/(thio)urea catalysts, focusing on the discussion of the impact factors on the catalytic mechanism, catalytic activity and selectivity. The ROP of a variety of cyclic esters, especially those with closed-loop recyclability, will be highlighted based on the ring size. Furthermore, the current limitations and future directions of base/(thio)urea catalysts will be discussed.

中文翻译：

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碱/(硫)脲二元催化剂介导的环酯开环聚合制备可持续聚酯


通过环酯开环聚合（ROP）制备的脂肪族聚酯由于潜在的生物可再生原料、生物可降解性和良好的材料性能而显示出作为可持续聚合物的巨大前景。最近开发的碱/(硫)脲二元催化剂由于其高催化活性和选择性，在环酯的“活性”/受控ROP方面取得了巨大成功。在这篇综述中，我们将重点介绍碱/（硫）脲二元催化剂介导的可持续聚酯合成的最新成就。我们首先介绍了碱/(硫)脲催化剂的机理见解，重点讨论了催化机理、催化活性和选择性的影响因素。各种环酯的ROP，特别是那些具有闭环可回收性的环酯，将根据环的尺寸来突出显示。此外，还将讨论碱/（硫）脲催化剂的当前局限性和未来方向。