ABSTRACT
Poly(lactic acid) and polylactide (PLA) belong to a large family of polyesters, that is, polymers containing the aliphatic ester repeating unit in their main chain. This class of polymers occupies a forefront position among the novel polymeric materials mostly due to a unique combination of their useful physicochemical properties accompanied with biodegrability and biocompatibility. Polymers containing repeating units derived from lactoyl group (LAc) can be prepared either by direct polycondensation of LAc or by the ring-opening polymerization of the cyclic dimer of LAc. This chapter aims to define telechelic polymers taking into account the number and topology of PLA macromolecules. Step-growth polymerization process of LAc leads to the formation of the moderate-molar-mass telechelic PLAs, which can next serve as building blocks for the synthesis of higher molar mass biodegradable polymers. PLA is derived from annually renewable bioresources and appears to be a promising alternative to petroleum-derived plastics, provided it is produced on a large-tonnage industrial scale at a reasonable cost.
