Graphical abstract. Credit: Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2025). doi:10.1002/anie.202421540
Diisocyanates are used in the preparation of all polyurethanes, from foam used in soles to thermoplastic science used in the case of mobile phones.
Aromatic diisocyanates that give polyurethane foam give it foam of its structure, but are commonly prepared on the megaton scale in very safe facilities, thanks to the use of phosgene, a very safe toxic chemical reagent.
In Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Michael Burkart’s lab at UC San Diego reports the preparation of fully bio-based aromatic disocyanates from the simple monosaccharide D-Galactose.
“This method offers a new route to 100% bio-based polyurethane foams and is achieving a long-standing goal for the industry,” says Barkert.
This new route avoids the use of transition metals, gaseous reagents, or high pressure/temperature reactions. As an application, the team demonstrates the synthesis of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) using these renewable disocyanates. These exhibit excellent material properties equivalent to oil-based TPUs.
These materials act as drop-in replacements for existing polyurethanes. It can now be sourced from 100% bio-based materials. Next, the team is developing a scale-up procedure to prepare them in kilogram amounts for prototype applications.
Details: Renewable terephthalates and aromatic disocyanates from Matthew W. Halloran et al, Galactose, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2025). doi:10.1002/anie.202421540
Provided by the University of California – San Diego
Quote: Bio-based Method Creates Polyurethanes Without Toxic Chemicals (March 21, 2025) Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2025-03-Biological Metod – Polyurethanes toxic.html
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