Parallel esterification of bio‐based dicarboxylic acids in small scale film reactors: A high‐throughput study

Abstract

The applicability of polyesters across a wide range of fields creates a demand for novel polyester structures that can offer advanced product performance. Two critical factors to the development of unique polymer architectures are the speed at which new polymeric systems can be synthesized and the available selection of monomers from which polymers are designed. Herein, we successfully demonstrate the applicability of a high‐throughput (HT) approach to polyesterification reaction between dicarboxylic acids and diols in reaction conditions similar to those used in industry. Furthermore, we apply our HT design to a series of bio‐based monomers whose unique structures offer potential for enhanced properties in polyester‐based systems. Using a custom‐built array of small‐scale film reactors, we conducted a parallel screening of 13 bio‐based dicarboxylic acids as potential monomers in the synthesis of polyester polyols through copolymerization with 1,6‐hexanediol. The polyester polyols were characterized for their molecular weight and thermal properties. Carrying out polyesterification reactions in small‐scale film reactors is seen as a quick and powerful tool for screening the effectiveness of a series of potential monomers, as this method offers highly controllable and reproducible reaction conditions in every reactor coupled with the ability to use a minimum amount of reagents.

Fumarate‐co‐PEG‐co‐sebacate photopolymer and its evaluation as a drug release system

“…In a previous work we prepared new poly(PEG‐ co ‐fumarate)s and found that when low MW PEGs were used (200 and 400 Da), the precursors can be casted into hydrophilic films with elastomeric properties, by irradiation with UV light in presence of a suitable radical initiator (Irgacure 500), which were crosslinked by the formation of carbon–carbon bonds at the level of the fumaric acid monomers 27 . It is worth to mention that in this work the linear PEG‐fumarate prepolymers were obtained by simple melt polymerization reactions of PEG diol with fumaric acid, avoiding the use of metal catalyst, as was previously reported in the literature 28,29 . When these interesting materials were tested in drug delivery studies, we found that the release of hydrophilic doxorubicin was fast, presenting a pronounced burst phase.…”

“…27 It is worth to mention that in this work the linear PEG-fumarate prepolymers were obtained by simple melt polymerization reactions of PEG diol with fumaric acid, avoiding the use of metal catalyst, as was previously reported in the literature. 28,29 When these interesting materials were tested in drug delivery studies, we found that the release of hydrophilic doxorubicin was fast, presenting a pronounced burst phase. On the other hand, Paclitaxel, a hydrophobic drug, presented much slower and sustained release profiles.…”