Trimethylene carbonate, or 1,3-propylene carbonate, is a 6-membered cyclic
carbonate ester
In organic chemistry, a carbonate ester (organic carbonate or organocarbonate) is an ester of carbonic acid. This functional group consists of a carbonyl group flanked by two alkoxy groups. The general structure of these carbonates is and the ...
. It is a colourless solid that upon heating or catalytic ring-opening converts to
poly(trimethylene carbonate)
Poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) is an aliphatic polycarbonate synthesized from the 6-membered cyclic carbonate, trimethylene carbonate (1,3-propylene carbonate or 1,3-Dioxan-2-one). Trimethylene carbonate (TMC) is a colorless crystalline sol ...
(PTMC). Such polymers are called aliphatic polycarbonates and are of interest for potential biomedical applications. An isomeric derivative is
propylene carbonate
Propylene carbonate (often abbreviated PC) is an organic compound with the formula C4H6O3. It is a cyclic carbonate ester derived from propylene glycol. This colorless and odorless liquid is useful as a polar, aprotic solvent. Propylene carbonat ...
, a colourless liquid that does not spontaneously polymerize.
Preparation
This compound may be prepared from
1,3-propanediol and
ethyl chloroformate (a phosgene substitute), or from
oxetane and
carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is t ...
with an appropriate catalyst:
:HOC
3H
6OH + ClCO
2C
2H
5 → C
3H
6O
2CO + C
2H
5OH + HCl
:C
3H
6O + CO
2 → C
3H
6O
2CO
This cyclic carbonate undergoes ring-opening polymerization to give poly(trimethylene carbonate), abbreviated PTMC.
[
:
]
Medical devices
The polymer PTC is of commercial interest as a biodegradable polymer with biomedical applications.
A block copolymer of glycolic acid
Glycolic acid (or hydroxyacetic acid; chemical formula HOCH2CO2H) is a colorless, odorless and hygroscopic crystalline solid, highly soluble in water. It is used in various skin-care products. Glycolic acid is widespread in nature. A glycolate (s ...
and trimethylene carbonate (TMC) is the material of the Maxon suture, a monofilament resorbable suture which was introduced in the mid-1980s. The same material is used in other resorbable medical devices.
See also
* Ethylene carbonate
References
{{reflist
Carbonate esters
Monomers