Synthesis and characterization of functional diene oligomers in view of their practical applications

An overview is given on the preparation and characterization of hydroxyl terminated liquid polybutadienes and polyisoprenes which are potential alternative backbones for polyurethanes. After stating the requirements for such precursors, selected routes to their production are discussed, taken from more recent literature and from own experience. Characterization encompasses new methods of end group determination, problems of functionality and fractionation. In spite of the progress achieved in various aspects, outstanding properties of e.g. carbon black‐filled polyurethanes have been reported rarely and on a larger scale commercial realization of such oligomers for high quality products seems somewhat uncertain at the moment.