Biopolymers

Novel renewable bisphenols were prepared through chemo-enzymatic processes under mild conditions. The enzyme-catalyzed condensation steps have been optimized and lead to high purity grade bisphenols in high to excellent yields.
The antiradical/antioxidant properties of these bio-based bisphenols were investigated and revealed activities similar or higher than that of current commercially available antiradical/antioxidant additives such as Irganox 1010. The bisphenols were then used as monomers for the preparation of various types of alternating aliphatic/aromatic polymers such as copolyesters, polyurethanes, poly(ester-alkenamers). The newly obtained homo- and copolymers were then characterized by NMR, GPC, DSC and TGA. These analyses revealed not only good thermal stabilities but also a broad range of accessible Tg. Linear phenolic homo-oligomers were also prepared through oxidase-mediated oligomerization; their thermal properties and antiradical activities were evaluated.