Oliver Kreye

Introducing Multicomponent Reactions to Polymer Science: Passerini Reactions of Renewable Monomers

Combination of the Passerini three component-reaction (3CR) and olefin metathesis led to the formation of poly[1-(alkyl carbamoyl)alkyl alkanoates], a new class of polyesters with amide moieties in their side chain, from renewable resources. Two different approaches were studied and compared to each other. First, monomers were synthesized by the Passerini-3CR and then polymerized via acyclic diene metathesis. Alternatively, bifunctional monomers were synthesized by self-metathesis and then polymerized by Passerini-3CR. Both approaches led to the formation of high-molecular-weight polymers. Moreover, Passerini-3CRs were shown to be a versatile grafting-onto method. The results clearly demonstrate that the Passerini-3CR offers an interesting new access to monomers and polymers and thus broadens the synthetic portfolio of polymer science.

Sustainable routes to polyurethane precursors

Environmentally friendly products and procedures are being developed both in industry and academia, mainly due to the depletion of fossil resources and the growing global awareness of the need to protect the environment. Thus, since polyurethanes represent a highly demanded class of polymers, straightforward, isocyanate and phosgene-free methods are required for the synthesis of their precursors (monomers) in order to achieve a sustainable production. To foster the discussion with the final goal to meet such a sustainable production, this review provides an overview of classic as well as modern and more sustainable routes towards polyurethanes and their precursors.

Structurally Diverse Polyamides Obtained from Monomers Derived via the Ugi Multicomponent Reaction

The combination of the Ugi four-component reaction (Ugi-4CR) with acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) or thiol-ene polymerization led to the formation of poly-1-(alkylcarbamoyl) carboxamides, a new class of substituted polyamides with amide moieties in the polymer backbone, as well as its side chains. 10-Undecenoic acid, obtained by pyrolysis of ricinoleic acid, the main fatty acid of castor oil, was used as the key renewable building block. The use of different primary amines, as well as isonitriles (isocyanides) for the described Ugi reactions provided monomers with high structural diversity. Furthermore, the possibility of versatile post-modification of functional groups in the side chains of the corresponding polymers should be of considerable interest in materials science. The obtained monomers were polymerized by ADMET, as well as thiol-ene, chemistry and all polymers were fully characterized. Finally, ortho-nitrobenzylamide-containing polyamides obtained by this route were shown to be photoresponsive and exhibited a dramatic change of their properties upon irradiation with light.

Renewable Non-Isocyanate Based Thermoplastic Polyurethanes via Polycondensation of Dimethyl Carbamate Monomers with Diols

1,5,7-Triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD)-catalyzed polycondensation reactions of fatty acid derived dimethyl dicarbamates and diols are introduced as a versatile, non-isocyanate route to renewable polyurethanes. The key step for the synthesis of dimethyl carbamate monomers from plant-oil-derived dicarboxylic acids is based on a sustainable base-catalyzed Lossen rearrangement. The formed polyurethanes with molecular weights up to 25 kDa are characterized by SEC, DSC, and NMR analysis.

Base catalyzed sustainable synthesis of phenyl esters from carboxylic acids using diphenyl carbonate

Phenyl esters were obtained in moderate to high yields by reaction of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids with one equivalent of diphenyl carbonate in the presence of catalytic amounts of tertiary amine bases, such as DBU, TBD and DMAP under neat conditions at elevated temperatures (>100 °C).