Diels Alder and Retro-Diels Alder reaction with poly(furfuryl methacrylate)

摘要

Furan-based polymers have received increased interest in recent years, since they can be obtained sustainably from monosaccharides. The ATRP of furfuryl methacrylate to form controlled molecular weight polymers and the subsequent Diels Alder reaction with bismaleimides has been reported previously. This short paper focuses on the synthesis of new furan-containing polymers, via RAFT polymerisation of furfuryl methacrylate, and the subsequent thermo-reversible Diels Alder reaction with bismaleimides to give reversible crosslinking. Size exclusion chromatography was used to determine the conversion, molecular weight and polydispersity index for the formed polymers. RAFT polymerisation was able to control molecular weight and provide polymers with relatively narrow PDIs. The thermal properties of the RAFT polymers were determined using DSC and TGA.