Furan Polymers: State of the Art and Perspectives

This contribution provides an outlook on the topic of furan polymers, dealing with both its main achievements and the salient recent contributions, together with a critical assessment of their most promising perspectives. Following a brief account of the relevant chemical properties of the furan heterocycle, the main monomers from furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural and their respective polymerization mechanisms are discussed. Chain-growth polymerizations concentrate on free-radical and cationic systems, whereas step-growth polymerizations describe the polycondensation of furfuryl alcohol, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethanes and polyureas, poly(Schiff base)s, epoxy resins, and the polycondensation of 5-methylfurfural. Finally, the use of the Diels-Alder reaction applied to furan polymer synthesis and modification is reviewed.

Automated summary

This contribution provides an outlook on the development of furan polymers, and evaluates their important contributions. It introduces the chemical properties of furan polymers and discusses the polymerization mechanisms of different monomers. Finally, it reviews the methods of synthesizing and modifying furan polymers using the Diels-Alder reaction.