Polymers from macrolactones: from pheromones to functional materials.

Recent advances in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactones (MLs) have afforded access to novel, potentially degradable polymeric materials featuring long aliphatic chains. These developments extend the synthetic robustness and versatility of ROP to a greater range of interesting monomers, many of which can be derived from sustainable or renewable feedstocks, to access polymeric materials boasting a diversity of properties and potential applications. This review discusses current strategies to catalyse the ROP of MLs, comparing and contrasting them with those known for the ROP of small and medium sized lactones, and highlights recent developments in the preparation, functionalization, and application of materials featuring poly(macrolactone)s (PMLs).