Investigating the Epoxidation of Poly-β-myrcene: Optimization, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics

Bioderived Radical Polymers for Sustainable Energy Storage Materials

“…One important class of functional natural products is terpenes, which are isolated from essential oils and often contain alkenes or other moieties useful in polymer synthesis. − Limonene, perhaps the best known terpene, is used in thermoplastic and thermoset polymer synthesis; however, often this consumes the majority of the useful alkenes. − Conversely, β-myrcene, a monoterpene that contains three alkene groups, can be polymerized into different stereochemistry linkages that result residual in-chain and side-chain alkenes. − This has made it of utility in multiple demonstrations. For example, Constant et al., produced poly(β-myrcene) and poly(limonene- co -β-myrcene) polymers suitable for vat photopolymerization 3D printing as an extension of previous work that had focused on homo poly(β-myrcene). , Sarkar demonstrated poly(β-myrcene) elastomers with M n up to ∼93 kDa, and Anastasiou formulated green epoxy polymer poly(β-myrcene) epoxide . Thus, poly(β-myrcene) may serve as a bioderived materials platform with controllable alkene concentration, stereochemistry, molecular weight, dispersity, and architecture with residual alkenes capable of post polymerization functionalization.…”

“…51,52 Sarkar demonstrated poly(βmyrcene) elastomers with M n up to ∼93 kDa, and Anastasiou formulated green epoxy polymer poly(β-myrcene) epoxide. 53 Thus, poly(β-myrcene) may serve as a bioderived materials platform with controllable alkene concentration, stereo- With these considerations in mind, we evaluated the suitability of poly(β-myrcene) in redox-active polymers. Using three different polymerization conditions, a series of alkene-containing, and later epoxide-laden, polymer precursors were synthesized.…”