Synthesis of Bio-Based Aliphatic Polyesters from Plant Oils by Efficient Molecular Catalysis: A Selected Survey from Recent Reports

Abstract

Recent development in efficient synthesis of (unsaturated) 1,ω-fatty acid diesters (and the diols), which can be used as monomers for synthesis of long chain aliphatic polyesters, especially by Pd-catalyzed isomerization alkoxycarbonylation, Ru-catalyzed olefin metathesis (self-metathesis and cross metathesis), and the tandem olefin metathesis and the ester hydrogenation from plant oils (unsaturated fatty acid esters such as methyl oleate, methyl linoleate, etc.) have been summarized. Recent development for synthesis of (semicrystalline) long chain aliphatic polyesters by polycondensation of 1,ω-dicarboxylic acids and the diols, dehydrogenation polycondensation of the diols or carbonylation polycondensation of the ω-alken-1-ol, and acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization of nonconjugated 1,ω-diene (and the tandem ADMET polymerization and hydrogenation system for synthesis of saturated polyester) have also been reviewed. Depolymerization of these long chain aliphatic polyesters was also demonstrated (by olefin metathesis, treatment with alcohols, etc.). Catalyst development for these reactions (more active, under mild conditions) plays a key role in efficient synthesis.