Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight Multifunctional Glycerol Polyhydroxyurethanes PHUs

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Organic Synthesis
• Materials Science

Background:

• Glycerol carbonate acrylate (GCA) is a cyclic carbonate derived from glycerol.
• GCA serves as a versatile building block for synthesizing multifunctional polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs).
• PHU properties are influenced by the density of amine, urethane, and hydroxyl groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the synthesis of PHUs using GCA and various polyfunctional amines.
• To explore catalyst-free polyaddition strategies for creating diverse PHU architectures.
• To characterize the resulting PHUs, focusing on molar mass and dispersity.

Main Methods:

• Type-AB polyaddition of GCA with mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-amines.
• Bulk or solution polymerization via stepwise or one-pot reaction strategies.
• Absence of added catalysts during polymerization.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of polyethylene amino ester PHUs with high molar mass (>20,000 g·mol⁻¹).
• Generation of linear, interchain, and crosslinked polymer structures.
• Achieved uniform dispersity in the synthesized PHUs.

Conclusions:

• GCA is a highly effective monomer for producing high-performance PHUs.
• Catalyst-free polyaddition offers a sustainable route to diverse polymer architectures.
• The synthesized PHUs exhibit desirable properties for advanced material applications.