4-Vinylbenzenesulfonic acid adduct of epoxidized soybean oil: Synthesis, free radical and ADMET polymerizations

In this work new radically polymerizable triglyceride based monomers were synthesized by the reaction of epoxidized methyl oleate (EMO) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) with 4-vinyl benzene sulfonic acid (4VBSA). The products are 1-(4-vinylbenzene sulfonyl)oxy-2-alkonols of epoxidized soybean oil (SESO) and 1-(4-vinylbenzene sulfonyl)oxy-2-alkonols of epoxidized methyl oleate (SEMO). These adducts were characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR and CHNS elemental analysis. SESO was found to contain, on the average, 2.47 4VBSA units per triglyceride. SESO was free radically polymerized and co-polymerized with styrene and the mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting thermosets were determined by DMA, DSC and TGA. SEMO was used as a model compound to determine the efficiency of metathesis catalysts for these fatty acid derivatives. The second generation Hoveyda–Grubbs catalyst was found to give best yields. ADMET polymerization of SESO with this catalyst with and without solvent gave ∼80% yield of a thermoset polymer. Polymers obtained by free radical route swelled in water at room temperature, and hydrolyzed in water at 60 °C.