Via an isocyanate-free route, a series of segmented polyureas (PUs) were synthesized from (potentially) renewable resources. To the best of our knowledge, the present work shows for the first time that the organic superbase guanidine 1,5,7-triazabicyclododecene (TBD) which was originally developed as a catalyst for the ring-opening polymerization of lactones, lactides or cyclic carbonates, is also a promising catalyst for the transurethanization between dicarbamates and diamino-terminated poly(propylene glycol) (PPGda) providing PUs via an isocyanate-free strategy. The renewable segmented PUs contain monodisperse hard segments (HSs). This well-defined structure was verified by the DMTA plots of the PUs, showing a sharp glass transition, a sharp flow transition and a flat rubbery plateau. The flow and maximum use temperature (Tfl ) of the PUs increases with the increasing number of urea groups in the corresponding dicarbamates. In addition, at constant HS length, the length of the soft-segment (SS) can be changed to adjust the properties of the PU materials, enabling their application as adhesives, soft elastomers, or rigid plastics.

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Using the organic compound 1,5,7‐triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec‐5‐ene (TBD) as a catalyst for step‐growth polymerization, a series of well‐defined hydroxyl‐telechelic renewable aliphatic polyesters (including poly(1,3‐propylene adipate); poly(1,4‐butylene adipate); poly(1,12‐dodecylene sebacate); and poly(1,2‐dimethylethylene adipate), PDMEA) were synthesized and studied. PDMEA is a novel polyester, which has not been reported before. The results of 1H NMR and Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry indicate that the polymers are fully hydroxyl terminated. From differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms, we found that the glass transition temperatures (Tg) of these polyesters are below −20 °C. Only a Tg but no melting peak is observed in the DSC curve of the novel PDMEA. This indicates that PDMEA, contrary to the other renewable polyesters, is totally amorphous. Furthermore, using hexamethylene diisocyanate and hexamethylene diamine, poly(ester urethane urea)s (PEUUs) based on PDMEA were successfully synthesized. The Tg of the prepared PEUUs is below 0 °C, and no melting behavior of the soft‐segment is observed. The PEUU, with a flow temperature of over 200 °C, thus behaves as an elastomer at room temperature. Its mechanical properties, such as a relatively low tensile E‐modulus (≈20 MPa) at room temperature and a sufficiently high strain at break (≈560%), make it suitable for use in, for example, biomedical applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011