Panoramic View of Biobased BHMTHF-based Polymers

Abstract

The biobased platform chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is widely recognized as an important precursor for the production of the monomer 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and, to a lesser extent, 2,5-bishydroxymethyl furan (BHMF), which are used for the production of renewable polymers. Like FDCA and BHMF, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran (BHMTHF) can be synthesized from HMF and can act as a monomer due to its difunctionality. The potential of BHMTHF, also known as 2,5-tetrahydrofurandimethanol (THFDM), for use in the production of innovative biobased polymers is still underexplored. This review summarizes and highlights the different types of polyesters and polyurethanes that are derived from this tetrahydrofuran building block. BHMTHF is predicted to have a bright future as a biobased monomer for the production of sustainable polymers because of its unique heterocyclic rigidity, electronegativity of the ether group and hydrogen bonding ability. This yields various polymers with reduced or absent crystallinity, improved hydrophilicity and pronounced shear thinning behavior.