Adv Polym Sci (2013) 262: 141–166
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_236
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 20 October 2013
Green Polymer Chemistry: Recent
Developments
Shiro Kobayashi
Abstract This article briefly reviews research developments on “green polymer
chemistry” and focuses on the studies recently performed by our group and related
work by some other groups. The green character of polymer synthesis has been
viewed from the standpoint of starting materials, polymerization catalyst, reaction
solvent, and polymer recycling. Starting materials employ biobased renewable
resources such as lactic acid (LA), itaconic anhydride (IAn), succinic anhydride,
1,4-butane diol, etc. Green catalysts include enzymes like lipase and protease.
Green solvents are water, supercritical carbon dioxide, and ionic liquids; in particular, water is often used for emulsion systems. From LA and IAn, methacyloylpolymerizable macromonomers were derived and their copolymerization with a
(meth)acryroyl monomer in miniemulsion produced a graft copolymer having LA
graft chains. The copolymers are classed as bioplastics from their biomass content
(!25 wt%) and are applicable for coatings. LA chain-containing comb polymers
and a star-type polymer were prepared, the latter being currently employed as a
coating material. The mechanism of catalysis of the enzymes in the oligomerization
of LA alkyl esters was examined to reveal direct evidence that a deacylation step
determines the enantioselection. Lipase catalysis was utilized for a polymer
recycling system
Keywords Green catalyst Á Green polymer chemistry Á Green solvent Á Green
starting materials Á Lactic acid
S. Kobayashi (*)
Center for Fiber and Textile Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki,
Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
e-mail: kobayash@kit.ac.jp
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_236
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 20 October 2013
Green Polymer Chemistry: Recent
Developments
Shiro Kobayashi
Abstract This article briefly reviews research developments on “green polymer
chemistry” and focuses on the studies recently performed by our group and related
work by some other groups. The green character of polymer synthesis has been
viewed from the standpoint of starting materials, polymerization catalyst, reaction
solvent, and polymer recycling. Starting materials employ biobased renewable
resources such as lactic acid (LA), itaconic anhydride (IAn), succinic anhydride,
1,4-butane diol, etc. Green catalysts include enzymes like lipase and protease.
Green solvents are water, supercritical carbon dioxide, and ionic liquids; in particular, water is often used for emulsion systems. From LA and IAn, methacyloylpolymerizable macromonomers were derived and their copolymerization with a
(meth)acryroyl monomer in miniemulsion produced a graft copolymer having LA
graft chains. The copolymers are classed as bioplastics from their biomass content
(!25 wt%) and are applicable for coatings. LA chain-containing comb polymers
and a star-type polymer were prepared, the latter being currently employed as a
coating material. The mechanism of catalysis of the enzymes in the oligomerization
of LA alkyl esters was examined to reveal direct evidence that a deacylation step
determines the enantioselection. Lipase catalysis was utilized for a polymer
recycling system
Keywords Green catalyst Á Green polymer chemistry Á Green solvent Á Green
starting materials Á Lactic acid
S. Kobayashi (*)
Center for Fiber and Textile Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki,
Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
e-mail: kobayash@kit.ac.jp