Thermodynamic and Kinetic Polymerizability of Cyclic Esters

Abstract Recent advances in the controlled ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic aliphatic esters are reviewed with a particular attention to thermodynamics and kinetics of the polymerization of industrially important monomers, namely: lactide (LA), 1,4‐dioxan‐2‐one (DX), and ϵ‐caprolactone (CL). For comparison, polymerization of β‐lactones is discussed. Progress in stereocontrolled polymerization of monomers bearing centers of chirality [LA and β‐butyrolactone (BL)] is also briefly reviewed.