Potentially Biodegradable Polymers Based on α‐ or β‐Pinene and Sugar Derivatives or Styrene, Obtained under Normal Conditions and on Microwave Irradiation

The homopolymerisation of α‐ and β‐pinene and their copolymerisation with styrene and hepta‐ O ‐benzyl‐6′‐ O ‐methacryloyl‐sucrose (BMS) have been examined in the presence of AIBN as free‐radical initiator, either in toluene or without solvent at 80 °C at normal pressure and also in a synthetic microwave oven. A study of the effect of the reaction conditions, the monomer structure and the initial ratio of the comonomers on the properties of the final copolymers, each containing two natural products, has been carried out. A new procedure for synthesising poly(β‐pinene), poly(α‐pinene‐co‐styrene), and poly(β‐pinene‐co‐styrene) in short reaction times and under mild conditions with microwave irradiation was found.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)