Polyethylene ferulate (PEF) and congeners: polystyrene mimics derived from biorenewable aromatics

Abstract

Ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid are abundant, biorenewable precursors for the synthesis of polyethylene ferulate (PEF) and polyethylene coumarate (PEC), as well as cognate copolymers with prescribed hydrogenation of the main-chain double bond. By controlling the comonomer feed ratios, copolymers with tunable thermal properties are obtained, including the thermal range occupied by polystyrene (PS).