Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2025
10:22
Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
3.4K
Self-Immolative Polymers Derived from Renewable Resources via Thiol-Ene Chemistry
Zhengyu Deng1,2,3, Elizabeth R Gillies1,4
1Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St., London, Ontario, N6 A 5B7, Canada.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|December 17, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed new self-immolative polymers from renewable lignin. These polymers degrade on demand via cascade reactions, offering a sustainable solution for polymer breakdown and functionalization.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Sustainable Materials Science
- Organic Chemistry
Background:
- Renewable polymers reduce petrochemical dependence.
- Depolymerization is key for end-of-life management and stimuli-responsive materials.
- Integrating renewable sourcing with controlled degradation is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create novel self-immolative polymers from lignin-derived aldehydes.
- To achieve controlled, stimuli-responsive polymer degradation.
- To enable versatile post-polymerization functionalization.
Main Methods:
- Thiol-ene polymerization of lignin-derived aldehydes.
- Investigating cascade degradation via 1,6-elimination and cyclization.
- Utilizing syringaldehyde monomer with methoxy substituents.
- Employing post-polymerization functionalization for end-caps.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized self-immolative polymers from renewable lignin.
- Demonstrated cascade degradation triggered by specific stimuli.
- Methoxy substituents on syringaldehyde accelerated depolymerization and improved stability.
- Achieved diverse responsive end-caps from a single polymer precursor.
Conclusions:
- A new class of self-immolative polymers from lignin was developed.
- These polymers offer controlled degradation pathways and enhanced stability.
- The approach allows for versatile functionalization, advancing sustainable polymer design.
Related Concept Videos
02:35Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes
7.7K
The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
7.7K
01:13Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
2.0K
Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists...
2.0K
00:53Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
1.9K
Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
1.9K
01:20Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters
2.2K
The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
2.2K
01:20Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
2.1K
The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...
2.1K
02:34Polymers
35.0K
The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the...
35.0K