Biocompatible and reinforced polyesters by dehydrogenative polymerisation of monomers from renewable sugar- and carbohydrate-sources

Project Investigators:

Prof. Dr. Robert Langer
MLU, Inorganic Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Kay Saalwächter
MLU, NMR

Prof. Dr. Thomas Thurn-Albrecht
MLU,  Polymer Physics

Apl. Prof. Dr. René Androsch,
MLU, Interdisciplinary Center for Transfer-Oriented Research in Natural Sciences

Project summary:
The biopolymer Polyethylene furanoate (PEF) is a potentially sustainable substitute for polyethyleneterephtalate (PET). Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is an intermediate that is converted to a monomer used for the production of PEF. HMF is produced from renewable resources, such as sugar or carbohydrates, and is commonly oxidized in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts. We aim to develop three more sustainable approaches for the synthesis of PEF from HMF.  (1) An  atom economic approach would be the dehydrogenation of HMF in the presence of ethanol to diethylfuranoate (Et₂FDC) or in the presence aqueous KOH to the potassium salt of FDCA, K₂FDC, using catalysts and catalytic protocols previously established for other molecules. (2) An alternative approach for the synthesis of PEF would involve direct dehydrogenative coupling of HMF in the presence of diols to yield PEF and novel types of polyesters (PXF). (3) A more explorative part of the project involves the direct dehydrogenation and polymerization of sugars. The characterization of polymeric samples will be done by NMR spectroscopy, GPC, MALDI-MS, ssNMR spectroscopy, SAXS/WAXS, rheology and calorimetry.