ε-Caprolactone

Clear colorless liquid, yellowing on ageing

ε-caprolactone is popularly used in the preparation of poly caprolactone (PCL).

Intermediate in adhesives, urethane coatings, and elastomers; solvent; diluent for epoxy resins; synthetic fibers; organic synthesis.

ε-Caprolactone is widely used as a monomer in the manufacturing of highly specialized polymers. It is mainly utilized as a precursor to caprolactam. It finds an application in the synthesis of polyglecaprone, which is used as a suture material in surgery.

ChEBI: A epsilon-lactone that is oxepane substituted by an oxo group at position 2.

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 80, p. 4079, 1958 DOI: 10.1021/ja01548a063
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 61, p. 4560, 1996 DOI: 10.1021/jo952237x
Tetrahedron Letters, 17, p. 2455, 1976 DOI: 10.1016/0040-4039(76)90018-6

ε-caprolactone is a cyclic ester. Ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone initiated by, tributylin n butoxide, ethyl magnesium bromide, or samarium acetate or heteropolyacid, leads to the formation of poly caprolactone (PCL).

Not classified