Novel Enzymatic Synthesis of 3-hydroxybutyric Acid Oligomerswith Inserted Lactobionic Acid Moieties

3-Hydroxybutyric acid and lactobionic acid yielded linear and cyclic oligomers in a lipase-catalyzedcondensation polymerization reaction, performed at 80°C in bulk and organic solvent systems. Novozyme435 was the most efficient biocatalyst, and a mixture of t-butanol and dimethylsulfoxide in 80:20 (v/v) ratioprovided the highest copolymer conversions. The highest degree of polymerization reached 7 in case ofcopolymers with inserted lactobionic acid moiety and 11 for the 3-hydroxybutyric acid homopolymer by-product

Biocatalytic synthesis of new copolymers from 3-hydroxybutyric acid and a carbohydrate lactone

Lipase-catalyzed reaction of 3-hydroxybutyric acid with d-glucono-d-lactone at 5:1 molar ratio and 80 °C yielded a mixture of moderate molecular weight linear and cyclic oligomers. The most efficient biocatalyst, Candida antarctica B lipase (Novozyme 435), allowed the synthesis of new oligomeric compounds with ring-opened gluconolactone units included in the oligomeric chain, without previous derivatization of the sugar, or activation of the acid monomer. The reaction medium nature had an important influence on the product composition. Although the main copolymer amount was synthesized in tert-butanol/dimethylsulfoxide medium, the highest polymerization degrees, up to 9 for the copolymer, and 10 for the 3-hydroxybutyric acid homopolymer co-product, were achieved in solventless conditions

The quest for sustainable polyesters - insights into the future

Polyesters from renewable resources are an expanding area with a burgeoning scientific activity, nevertheless little has been reviewed about this particular class of polymers. The present appraisal intends to contribute to fill this literature gap by reviewing recent aspects related to the most promising renewable-based polyesters. Emphasis will be placed on bio-based polyesters that, given their comparable properties, may replace polymers derived from fossil fuel feedstock, and on bio-based polyesters with completely innovative properties for novel applications. Furthermore, the sources of renewable monomers will also be reviewed, together with the most relevant eco-friendly synthetic approaches used in polycondensation reactions leading to polyesters