Synthesis of Bioresorbable Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid)s Through Direct Polycondensation: An Economical Substitute for the Synthesis of Polyglactin via ROP of Lactide and Glycolide

High molecular weight bioresorbable polyglactin was successfully synthesized by direct esterification of glycolic acid and lactic acid in diphenylether under vacuum. The reaction mixture was initially dehydrated at 120 °C, diphenylether and catalysts were added when the temperature was raised to 180 °C, meanwhile the reaction mixture was kept dehydrated azeotropically for several hours. Diphenylether was removed from reaction mixture using vacuum and white solid polyglactin was obtained after purification. The intrinsic viscosity of polyglactin was in a range of 0.6 to 1.10 dl/g. This synthesis process can be an economical alternative to the conventional synthesis of polyglactin.