Ring-Opening Polymerizations of Cyclic Ester Amides

Haipeng Bian, Yan Yan, Xin Hu, Ning Zhu

Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 888-903.

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Prog Chem ›› 2026, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5) : 888-903. DOI: 10.7536/PC20250720
Review

Ring-Opening Polymerizations of Cyclic Ester Amides

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Abstract

Poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) are a class of functional polymers, which contain both ester and amide groups in their backbone. These structures provide PEAs with good biodegradability of polyesters and excellent mechanical properties of polyamides, leading to promising applications in biomedical and sustainable materials. As one of synthetic methods for preparing PEAs, ring-opening polymerizations (ROP) of cyclic ester amides offer well-controlled feature, which have attracted growing research interest in polymer synthesis and materials chemistry. In recent years, a serials of cyclic ester amides with different ring sizes and substituents have been designed and synthesized as the monomers for PEAs. By developing metal catalysts, organo-catalysts, and enzymes, ROP of cyclic ester amides have been achieved, and the properties and applications of the resultant PEAs have been evaluated. This review focuses on the advances in ROP of cyclic ester amides. According to the monomer structure, cyclic ester amides without substituents, cyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents, and cyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents are highlighted from the aspects of monomer design, catalytic ROP, and the properties and applications of the corresponding polymers. Moreover, challenges and opportunities are discussed to guide further development of ROP of cyclic ester amides.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 ROP of cyclic ester amides without substituents

2.1 ROP of 6-membered cyclic ester amides

2.2 ROP of macrocyclic ester amides

3 ROP of cyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents

3.1 ROP of 3-substituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents

3.2 ROP of 6-substituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents

3.3 ROP of 3,6-substituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents

3.4 ROP of macrocyclic ester amides with aliphatic substituents

4 ROP of cyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents

4.1 ROP of 3-substituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents

4.2 ROP of 6-substituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents

4.3 ROP of 3,6-disubstituted-6-membered cyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents

4.4 ROP of macrocyclic ester amides with aromatic substituents

5 Conclusion and outlook

Key words

cyclic ester amide / ring-opening polymerization / aliphatic-substituted / aromatic-substituted / poly(ester amide)

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Haipeng Bian , Yan Yan , Xin Hu , et al. Ring-Opening Polymerizations of Cyclic Ester Amides[J]. Progress in Chemistry. 2026, 38(5): 888-903 https://doi.org/10.7536/PC20250720

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(22278223)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(22278205)
National Natural Science Foundation of China(22478188)
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