Abstract Oligomers derived from renewable compounds, 1,3‐propanediol and succinic acid, are prepared through a solution polymerization method to afford a series of alcohol‐terminated oligomers with different molecular weight distributions. Fatty acid conjugation to the alcohol‐terminated oligomers yields novel fatty acid‐capped oligomers with unique physical properties (ranging from amorphous oils and waxes to semi‐crystalline solids), which may be controlled by tuning the molecular weight and fatty acid end‐groups. To assess the potential of these new materials to replace petroleum‐based ingredients in personal care and cosmetic formulations (for use as, e.g., viscosity modifiers, surfactants, and film‐formers), the effect of molecular weight and end‐group chain length on solution viscosity and surface tensions is examined, finding that the relative viscosities of solutions containing these oligomers increase as a function of oligomer concentration and molecular weight, while the surface tensions decrease primarily as a function of the fatty acid end‐group chain length.
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