Stereocontrolled ring-opening polymerisation of lactide

The important advances and current trends in the stereocontrolled ring-opening polymerisation of lactide are discussed in this tutorial review. Microstructures, structural characterisation methods and the properties of stereoregular poly(lactide)s are examined. The application of metal-based catalysts dominates this area although simple anionic polymerisation and organocatalytic routes that demonstrate control of the polymer tacticity are discussed.