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Norbornene-based alicyclic polyols: new building blocks for high-performance polyesters
Researchers have developed ENB- and VNB-based alicyclic polyols as monomers for polyesters with high glass transition temperatures, opening up new options to replace conventional polycarbonates.
Amorphous polyesters based on rigid alicyclic monomers are increasingly seen as promising candidates to substitute polycarbonates in demanding applications. A research team has optimised the regioselective synthesis of diols derived from 5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (ENB) and 5-vinyl-2-norbornene (VNB).
Initial scale-up experiments showed that larger-scale production of these monomers is feasible. The team also developed an alternative route for producing branched diols, creating more structural design freedom.
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Structure–property relationships
To demonstrate feasibility, polymerisations were carried out using dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) as a model. The resulting polyesters with branched, linear or mixed regioisomers were analysed with GPC, TGA and DSC. Tg values ranged from 75 to 103 °C, depending on the microstructure and molecular weights.
In addition, isosorbide was introduced as a bio-based comonomer, producing amorphous copolyesters with Tg values between 81 and 97 °C. The results underline the potential of alicyclic polyols to deliver sustainable, high-performance polyester materials.
Source: Bratić et al., Polymer Chemistry, Issue 25, 2025
