Light-mediated curing of CO2-based unsaturated polyethercarbonates via thiol–ene click chemistry

Abstract

Facile cross-linking of CO₂-based unsaturated polyethercarbonates with polymercaptanes via thiol–ene click chemistry makes them highly interesting sustainable pre-polymers for material applications as elastomers and sealants. CO₂-Based unsaturated polyethercarbonates, characterised by a glass transition temperature well below room temperature, were obtained by convenient one-pot synthesis. Terpolymerization of CO₂ with propylene oxide and allylglycidylether provided the polyethercarbonates with a defined number of pendant unsaturated bonds along the backbone of the polymer chain. The time-dependent viscoelastic behaviour during cross-linking with pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) revealed faster curing with increasing content of double bonds in the pre-polymer. In parallel, the higher cross-linking density provided access to more rigid elastic materials.