Sustainable Myrcene-Based Elastomers via a Convenient Anionic Polymerization

Soluble heterocomplexes consisting of sodium hydride in combination with trialkylaluminum derivatives have been used as anionic initiating systems at 100 degrees C in toluene for convenient homo-, co- and ter-polymerization of myrcene with styrene and isoprene. In this way it has been possible to obtain elastomeric materials in a wide range of compositions with interesting thermal profiles and different polymeric architectures by simply modulating the alimentation feed and the (monomers)/(initiator systems) ratio. Especially, a complete study of the myrcene-styrene copolymers (PMS) was carried out, highlighting their tapered microstructures with high molecular weights (up to 159.8 KDa) and a single glass transition temperature. For PMS copolymer reactivity ratios, r(myr) = 0.12 +/- 0.003 and r(sty) = 3.18 +/- 0.65 and r(myr) = 0.10 +/- 0.004 and r(sty) = 3.32 +/- 0.68 were determined according to the Kelen-Tudos (KT) and extended Kelen-Tudos (exKT) methods, respectively. Finally, this study showed an easy accessible approach for the production of various elastomers by anionic copolymerization of renewable terpenes, such as myrcene, with commodities.

Automated summary

Soluble heterocomplexes of sodium hydride and trialkylaluminum derivatives were used as anionic initiators for the polymerization of myrcene, styrene, and isoprene in toluene at 100 degrees C. By modulating the feed and ratio, elastomeric materials with diverse thermal profiles and polymeric architectures were obtained. The study also showed an accessible method for producing various elastomers through anionic copolymerization of renewable terpenes like myrcene with commodity monomers.