High-performance polymers from nature: catalytic routes and processes for industry

It is difficult to imagine life today without polymers. However, most chemicals are almost exclusively synthesized from petroleum. With diminishing oil reserves, establishing an industrial process to transform renewables into high-value chemicals may be more challenging than running a car without gasoline. This is due to the difficulty in setting up processes that are novel, profitable, and environmentally benign at the same time. Additionally, the quest for sustainability of renewable resources should be based on incorporating ethical considerations in the development of plans that utilize feedstocks intended for human nutrition and health. Thus, it is important to use bio-energy containing renewable resources in the most efficient way. This Concept goes beyond the synthesis of monomers and provides insights for establishing an industrial process that transforms renewable resources into high-value chemicals, and it describes careful investigations that are of paramount importance, including evaluations from an economical and an ecological perspective. The synthesis of monomers suitable for polymer production from renewable resources would ideally be accompanied by a reduction in CO2 emission and waste, through the complete molecular utilization of the feedstock. This Concept advocates the drop-in strategy, and is guided by the example of catalytically synthesized dimethyl 1,19-nonadecanedioate and its α,ω-functionalized derivatives. With respect to the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry, this Concept describes a technological leap forward for a sustainable green chemical industry.