Ring opening polymerization of macrocyclic oligoesters derived from renewable sources

• Published in: Polymer Chemistry
• Main Authors: Martínez de Ilarduya Sáez de Asteasu, Domingo Antxon, Muñoz Guerra, Sebastián
• Other Authors: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. POL - Polímers Industrials Avançats i Biopolímers Tecnològics
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria química; Ring opening polymerization; Macrocyclic oligoesters; Macrolactones; Entropically driven ROP; Cyclodepolymerization; Circular economy; Polímers > Reciclatge; Plàstics; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2117/331103; https://doi.org/10.1039/C9PY01927H

Macrocyclic oligoesters (MCOs) derived from biomass such as those prepared from alkylene alkanedioates and 2,5-furandicarboxylates are suitable compounds for ring opening polymerization (ROP) to produce high molecular weight bio-based polyesters. The synthetic procedures that have been recently developed to obtain these MCOs in good yields, their ROP either alone or together with other cyclic compounds, and their recovery by cyclodepolymerization of the final polyesters are the main topics covered in this review. Both organometallic compounds and enzymes such as Candida antarctica lipase B are the catalytic systems used for all reactions. This synthetic approach based on ROP of MCOs derived from renewable sources opens a green pathway for a circular economy in plastics. Postprint (author's final draft)