Green resins from renewable resources

This work was aimed at exploring bio-based materials for the purpose of toner production on an industrial scale. Polyester and polyether based resins were prepared in good yields from naturally occurring phenolic compounds with desired thermal and physical properties. Phenols with varying functionality such as guaiacol, eugenol and vanillin along with two synthetically produced phenolic compounds modelling the β-O-4 linkage found in softwood lignins were explored as suitable precursors to synthetic, "green", resins. Phenols were transformed into diols using glycerine carbonate and a base catalyzed reaction. Diols were then polymerized with dicarboxylic acids in an acid catalyzed, transesterfication, reaction. A novel, bio-based polyether was synthesized in one pot, one step polymerization using vanillin. Thermal properties ((Tg) and (Ts) of resulting resins were evaluated. Resulting compounds and polymers were characterized using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, DSC and GPC.