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New copolymers of ε-caprolactone with three hydroxy-fatty acids, 12-hydroxy stearic acid, 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid and ricinoleic acid, were synthesized by catalytic polyesterification. The reactions were carried out in solvent-free systems and in organic solvents as well, using tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate as catalyst, at different temperatures and molar ratios of the comonomers. Cyclic and linear polymeric products with medium molar weight of about 2000 Da have been synthesized and their chemical structures were confirmed by FT-IR, NMR and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. The synthesis parameters were optimized and the ε-caprolactone/hydroxy acid molar ratio was set as 5:1, according to mass spectrometry results. The biodegradability of the newly synthesized polymers was studied in the presence of Candida antarctica B lipase in phosphate buffer solutions (pH=7.4), at 37°C. The weight-loss profile emphasized the degradation of the 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid based polymer samples at more than 50% of their initial weight in 18 days of incubation in the presence of the lipase. The composition of the degradation products was assessed using the GC-MS technique and displayed residues of the comonomers moieties.

The aromatic character of three non-planar circulenes has been investigated at B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. Global aromaticity descriptors like HOMO-LUMO gap, enthalpy of formation and exaltation of magnetic susceptibility outline a possible aromatic character only for circulenes [4:64] and [7:67]. The viability of isodesmic reaction schemes -for evaluation of the enthalpies of formation- has been discussed. Local aromaticity descriptors like HOMA (Harmonic Oscillator Model of Aromaticity), NICS (Nucleus Independent Chemical Shift) and electronic delocalization indices have been calculated for each outer ring of circulenes.