Click chemistry for the synthesis of biobased polymers and networks derived from vegetable oils

Abstract

As we live in a time of heightening environmental issues, materials science is required to prepare sustainable polymers through green chemistry ideals. Vegetable oils and their fatty acid derivatives are well regarded for their use in polymer chemistry. Click chemistry has drastically affected the synthesis of vegetable oil-derived polymers over the last twenty years. This review covers the most recent and relevant developments in click chemistry as a functionalization and polymerization method of vegetable oils and their derivatives. First, a quick overview is provided of the main macromolecular architectures and properties of the most commonly accessible vegetable oils, their most prevalent chemical modifications, and their prevalence in polymer families. It is followed by an introduction of the click chemistry reactions frequently developed on vegetable oils. The focus of the manuscript is the development of this efficient chemistry for the synthesis of polymer materials derived from vegetable oils.