Synthesis of Lignin-based Phenol Terminated Hyperbranched Polymer

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 24; no. 20; p. 3717
• Main Authors: Longe, Lionel, Garnier, Gil, Saito, Kei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 16.10.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: antioxidant; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemical synthesis; Antioxidants - chemistry; bio-based; Calorimetry; Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic; Chromatography; Degree of polymerization; Differential scanning calorimetry; Glass transition temperature; Heat measurement; hyperbranched; Lignin; Lignin - chemistry; Molecular weight; Phenol - chemical synthesis; Phenol - chemistry; Phenols; Polymerization; Polymers; Polymers - chemical synthesis; Polymers - chemistry; polyphenol; Polyphenols - chemical synthesis; Polyphenols - chemistry; Polystyrene resins; Raw materials; Solvents; Thermodynamics; Thermogravimetric analysis; Thermogravimetry; Transition temperatures; Australia; bio-based; antioxidant; hyperbranched; polyphenol
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules24203717

In this work, we proved the efficient synthesis of a bio-based hyper-branched polyphenol from a modified lignin degradation fragment. Protocatechuic acid was readily obtained from vanillin, a lignin degradation product, via alkaline conditions, and further polymerised to yield high molecular weight hyperbranched phenol terminated polyesters. Vanillic acid was also subjected to similar polymerisation conditions in order to compare polymerisation kinetics and differences between linear and hyperbranched polymers. Overall, protocatechuic acid was faster to polymerise and more thermostable with a degradation temperature well above linear vanillic acid polyester. Both polymers exhibited important radical scavenging activity (RSA) compared to commercial antioxidant and present tremendous potential for antioxidant applications.