Chapter 6

A Green and Sustainable Biocatalytic Routes to Prepare Biobased Polyols as a Precursor For Polyurethanes as Compared to Existing Biobased Polyol Technology

Bhaskar Sharma, Hema Tandon, Pathik Maji and Arti Shrivastava

Abstract

There has been great interest in the replacement of petroleum-based polyols with biobased polyols in polyurethane applications. However, current products mainly triglyceride-based polyols have many drawbacks, and also do not have the structural efficiency and physical performance characteristics that restrict them to limited applications. <p> To minimize all these limitations, the synthesis of low molecular weight liquid polyols can be performed via a robust, simple, environmentally friendly, and solvent-free ‘biocatalytic route’. In contrast to chemical methods, enzyme-catalyzed reactions proceed with high enantio- and regioselectivity, under mild conditions, avoiding protection deprotection steps, providing an attractive alternative to conventional chemical methods. Bio-renewable, non-toxic and low-cost monomers, such as 2,5 dihydroxymethyl furan, 1,4 butanediol, glycerol, diglycerol, isosorbide, D-mannitol, D-sorbitol, citric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid and many more can be employed in preparing biobased polyol prepolymers via enzymatic catalysis.

Total Pages: 148-168 (21)

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