Furan-Based Copolyesters from Renewable Resources: Enzymatic Synthesis and Properties

Abstract

Enzymatic polymerization provides an excellent opportunity for the conversion of renewable resources into polymeric materials in an effective and sustainable manner. A series of furan-based copolyesters was synthesized with $\overline{M_w}$ up to 35 kg mol^-1 , by using Novozyme 435 as a biocatalyst and dimethyl 2,5-furandicarboxylate (DMFDCA), 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF), aliphatic linear diols, and diacid ethyl esters as monomers. The synthetic mechanism was evaluated by the variation of aliphatic linear monomers and their feed compositions. Interestingly, there was a significant decrease in the molecular weight if the aliphatic monomers were changed from diols to diacid ethyl esters. The obtained copolyesters were thoroughly characterized and compared with their polyester analogs. These findings provide a closer insight into the application of enzymatic polymerization techniques in designing sustainable high-performance polymers.

Keywords: copolymerization; enzyme catalysis; green chemistry; oxygen heterocycles; renewable resources.