High T_g thermosetting resins from resveratrol

The tricyanate esters of the natural product resveratrol (1) and dihydroresveratrol (2) were synthesized and subjected to thermal curing which gave polycyanurate network polymers which exhibited glass transition temperatures of >340 °C and 334 °C, respectively. Thermal decomposition temperatures of 412 °C and 403 °C for polycyanurates of 1 and 2, respectively, were typical of this class. However, char yields (600 °C) of 71% and 66% for 1 and 2, respectively, were more than double that from the polycyanurate of bisphenol A dicyanate (25%).