Constructing Degradable Polymer Materials through Chemical Transformations of Cyclic Ethers Derived From Natural Products With C1 Feedstocks

Abstract

This work focuses on the development of synthetic methodologies by which natural products and C1 feedstocks, such as carbon dioxide or carbonyl sulfide, can be transformed into degradable, sustainable polymer materials, thereby contributing to solutions to several current global challenges. Over the past few years, there has been a reevaluation in the methods of constructing everyday plastics which are synthesized from petroleum-based chemicals and can persist for excessively long periods of time, placing stresses on the environment. Therefore, there is a growing shift toward the use of sustainably-sourced feedstocks for the production of degradable polymers. Relevant to this aim, polymer materials constructed from carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbonyl sulfide (COS) are receiving much attention since they are ideal one-carbon (C1) building blocks for the synthesis of polycarbonates and sulfur-containing polymer, respectively, which supplements current processes to produce these degradable polymers that involve toxic reagents such as phosgene. In the following content, renewable sugar-based polymers are achieved by harnessing the chemical diversity of four-membered cyclic ethers derived from natural products to form polymeric materials imbedded with degradable linkages as alternatives to petrochemicals for commercial applications. This study has had success in utilizing naturally-derived carbohydrates to produce sustainable degradable sugar-derived polymers with the structural diversity and potential for degradability yielding promising alternatives to traditional plastics. In addition, this research investigates sustainable and green synthetic routes through utilization of captured and stored C1 feedstocks, such as CO2 and COS, as comonomers to yield high-value polymeric materials with tunable thermal and mechanical properties.