From Lignin-derived Aromatic Compounds to Novel Biobased Polymers

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 9 - 28
• Main Authors: Llevot, Audrey, Grau, Etienne, Carlotti, Stéphane, Grelier, Stéphane, Cramail, Henri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; Wiley-VCH Verlag
• Subjects: Aromatic compounds; Chemical Sciences; Derivatives; Ferulic acid; Lignin; Phenols; Polymerization; Polymers; Resins; Substrates; Synthesis; thermosets; Vanillin; ferulic acid; lignin; polymers; vanillin; thermosets; THERMOTROPIC POLYESTERS; TEREPHTHALATE POLYESTERS; P-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID; CONTROLLED POLYMERIZATION; 2 5-FURANDICARBOXYLIC ACID; FERULIC ACID; THERMAL-PROPERTIES; RENEWABLE RESOURCES; VANILLIC ACID; SUSTAINABLE POLYMERS
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201500474

Nowadays, the synthesis of (semi)aromatic polymers from lignin derivatives is of major interest, as aromatic compounds are key intermediates in the manufacture of polymers and lignin is the main source of aromatic biobased substrates. Phenols with a variety of chemical structures can be obtained from lignin deconstruction; among them, vanillin and ferulic acid are the main ones. Depending on the phenol substrates, different chemical modifications and polymerization pathways are developed, leading to (semi)aromatic polymers covering a wide range of thermomechanical properties. This review discusses the synthesis and properties of thermosets (vinyl ester resins, cyanate ester, epoxy, and benzoxazine resins) and thermoplastic polymers (polyesters, polyanhydrides, Schiff base polymers, polyacetals, polyoxalates, polycarbonates, acrylate polymers) prepared from vanillin, ferulic acid, guaiacol, syringaldehyde, or 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid. This review presents the major interests of lignin derivatives such as vanillin, ferulic acid, guaiacol, syringaldehyde, and 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid as a source of novel semi‐aromatic biobased polymers. The structure–property relationships of these materials are discussed.