Semi-rigid building blocks suitable for materials synthesis are uncommon. One such class of structures is cyclobutane-containing building blocks (CBBs). They bridge the gap between their flexible aliphatic chain and rigid aromatic counterparts. The unique blend of rigidity and flexibility, due to the presence of one or more conformationally strained four-membered aliphatic rings in CBBs, make them a viable option in the design and synthesis of novel materials. In addition, their stability towards thermal cycloelimination and near UV radiation substantiate their candidacy in developing materials of choice. One such example is cyclobutane diacid (CBDA). Various types of CBDAs were readily synthesized from olefins derived from agro-residues via environmentally friendly [2+2] solid-state photoreactions. A diverse array of polymers were synthesized by polycondensation of CBDAs and biomass-derived diols to demonstrate the potential applications of CBDAs in material synthesis and to study their thermal and mechanical properties. Despite the presence of the strained cyclobutane ring, these biobased polyesters showed promising thermal, chemical, and photo stability.

Biobased cyclobutane-containing building blocks: Synthesis of cyclobutane diacid for novel polyesters

2019 Spring National Meeting

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