Wholly biomass derivable sustainable polymers by ring-opening metathesis polymerisation of monomers obtained from furfuryl alcohol and itaconic anhydride

Ring-opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) of oxanorbornene esters by Grubbs second generation catalyst is used to prepare a range of wholly biomass-derivable homo and copolymers. Eight ester monomers are prepared by esterification of the corresponding carboxylic acid which itself is formed by a 100% atom-economical tandem Diels-Alder-lactonisation reaction of itaconic anhydride and furfuryl alcohol. The well-controlled nature of the ROMP is confirmed by NMR studies and facilitated the preparation of homopolymers, random copolymers and block copolymers with good control over the polymer molecular weight and molecular weight distribution.