CO2-sourced non-isocyanate polyurethanes: from the monomer synthesis to the elaboration of polymeric materials

Due to problems related to the rarefaction of fossil resources and the global warming that comes from CO2 emissions, new carbon feedstocks that are abundant, renewable, non-toxic, inexpensive and environmentally friendly must be explored to produce chemicals. Besides the valorization of bio-based raw materials, the use of CO2 as a C1 carbon source into added-value products has gained interest in both academic and industrial fields. One promising way to valorize CO2 relies on its chemical fixation onto epoxides to produce cyclic carbonates that find applications as electrolytes in lithium ion batteries, as aprotic polar solvents or as useful intermediates for polycarbonates. Cyclic carbonates also react with primary amines to produce 2-hydroxyethylurethane. This reaction can be extrapolated to the synthesis of non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU) by polyaddition of bifunctional cyclic carbonates with diamines.5 This study focusses on (i) the synthesis of cyclic carbonates using new highly efficient organocatalysts and (ii) their valorization as monomers to produce non-isocyanate polyurethanes.

First, we have identified a bicomponent organocatalyst for the very fast synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2 and epoxides under very mild reaction conditions. Kinetics of reactions were followed by online Raman spectroscopy. NMR titrations were realized to evidence the mechanism of activation of this novel organocatalytic system that will be discussed in detail this talk.

The second objective relies on the development of new efficient organocatalysts for the synthesis of high molar masses NIPUs in short reaction times. Organic compounds interacting with the cyclic carbonate by hydrogen bonding were identified and their catalytic activity was highlighted by a model reaction between ethylene carbonate and a primary amine before extrapolation to the synthesis of NIPUs that find applications as coatings or foamed materials.