Synthesis of Poly(glycerol malonate) Oligomers from Bio-based Sources Utilizing AlCl3 Catalyst

Abstract

Due to the significant economic and environmental benefits, the demand for biomass-derived building blocks in polymer development has increased in recent years. Bio-based plastics, integral to advancing a circular economy, have consistently been a leading topic among emerging technologies. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of different esterification catalysts. To achieve this, we synthesized a range of fully bio-based oligomers using glycerol and malonic acid as starting materials, along with three catalysts: tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (stannous octoate, Sn(Oct)2), stannous chloride dihydrate (SnCl2·2H2O), and aluminum chloride (AlCl3). The chemical structures of the synthesized oligomers were confirmed using NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Thermal properties were assessed using DSC and TGA. FTIR analysis verified successful oligomer synthesis, and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of approximately -56 °C was determined via DSC. Additionally, the oligomers exhibited maximum working temperatures at around 278 °C, corresponding to a 50 wt% loss.

Keywords

• Bio-based oligomers
• biopolymers and renewable polymers
• polycondensation
• catalyst

Supporting Institution

TUBITAK

Project Number

TUBITAK 220M112

Thanks

This work was financially supported by the TUBITAK (Project No: 220M112).

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