Synthesis and Characterization of Polycaprolactone

ε-Caprolactone (>99.0%) and 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene
(TBD) (>98.0%) were purchased from Tokyo Chemical Industry Co.
Ltd.
(Tokyo, Japan). Ethanol (EtOH, >99.5%) and acetic acid (>99.7%)
were
purchased from Nacalai Tesque Inc. (Kyoto, Japan). Acetic anhydride
(>97%), ethyl acetate (EtOAc, >99.5%), n-hexane
(>96.0%),
chloroform (>99.0%), mEthanol (>99.8%), poly(ε-Caprolactone)
(PCL), DMSO for molecular biology, Evans blue, and sodium dodecyl
sulfate (SDS) for molecular biology were purchased from Fujifilm Wako
Pure Chemical Co. (Osaka, Japan). Dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂, >99.5%) and tetrahydrofuran (THF, >99.5%) were purchased
from KANTO Chemical Co., Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) and were dried and deoxygenized
by passage through the columns of a Glass Contour Solvent System before
use. ε-Caprolactone was distilled from calcium hydride before
use. 6-Hydroxycaproic acid was synthesized as described in the literature.^{28 (link)} EtOH was dried over 3 Å molecular sieves
before use. YCT was purchased from Recenttec K.K. (Tokyo, Japan). Chlorella sp. was purchased from Chlorella Industry Co.,
Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan). Marine Art SF-1 artificial seawater was purchased
from Osaka Yakken Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan).