New Biobased Polyester Polyols With Tunable T_g Values From 4-Vinylguaiacol-Derived Monomers

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Green Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Polyesters (PEs) are vital plastics, but their sustainability relies on biobased and renewable sources.
• Developing eco-friendly alternatives is crucial for reducing environmental impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel epoxy monomers from biobased 4-vinylguaiacol.
• To create new, fully renewable polyesters through ring-opening copolymerization.
• To investigate the properties and potential applications of these biobased polyesters.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of three epoxy monomers: 4-epoxyguaiacol acetate, butanoate, and hexanoate.
• Ring-opening copolymerization with cyclic anhydrides using various organocatalytic initiators.
• Characterization of resulting polyesters using molecular weight, dispersity, and thermal analyses.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized 12 new polyesters with up to 100% renewable content.
• Achieved number-average molecular weights (M_n) between 1.8–4.1 kDa and dispersity indexes (Đ) of 1.09–1.62.
• Demonstrated tunable glass transition temperatures (0–78 °C) and confirmed hydroxy-terminated polymer chains.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a viable route to sustainable polyesters from ferulic acid derivatives.
• The synthesized polyesters exhibit tunable properties suitable for applications as low molecular-weight polyester polyols.