Versatile Sugar Derivatives for the Synthesis of Potential Degradable Hydrophilic‐Hydrophobic Polyurethanes and Polyureas

Biodegradable polymers obtained from renewable natural sources are currently receiving increasing attention because they are an alternative to the traditional petroleum‐based plastics. In the present communication we describe the synthesis of the diol monomers 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐L‐arabinitol (ABnOH) and 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzylxylitol (XBnOH), and the diamino monomers 1,5‐diamino‐1,5‐dideoxy‐2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐L‐arabinitol (ABnNH 2 ) and 1,5‐diamino‐1,5‐dideoxy‐2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzylxylitol (XBnNH 2 ), which can be used in the preparation of new potentially biodegradable sugar‐based polymers. As an example, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a polyurethane [PU‐(ABnOH‐HMDI)] and a polyurea [PUR‐(ABnNH2‐HMDI)] by poly addition reaction of ABnOH and ABnNH 2 with 1,6‐hexamethylene diisocyanate.