Stannous-acetylacetonate: A new catalyst for poly(trimethylene terephthalate) synthesis

Stannous-acetylacetonate was prepared efficiently and characterized by 1H NMR and FT-IR. Its catalytic activity for poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) synthesis was investigated. By this catalyst, the degree of esterification of pure terephthalic acid was up to 91.7% after reaction at 260 °C for 2 h, while the intrinsic viscosity and content of terminal carboxyl groups of the corresponding PTT polymerized at 260 °C, 60 Pa for 2 h was 0.8816 dL/g and 17 mol/t, respectively. Stannous-acetylacetonate was more active and promising than tetrabutyl titanate and stannous octoate for PTT synthesis.