Feasibility Study of the Synthesis of Isocyanate-Free Polyurethanes from Catechin

With the current trend of increasing efforts to develop non-isocyanate-based polyurethanes (NIPUs), this study aimed to check the feasibility of the development of a method using cyclic carbonate modified catechin and amine to synthesis non-isocyanate urethane with the objective to further extend these results to polyurethane synthesis. The methods used in this study consist of four steps: glycidilation of catechin, hydrolysis of epoxide, cyclic carbonate synthesis, and carbamate synthesis through condensation of butylamine. The resulting products were analyzed using FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectroscopy. The results showed that carbamate could be successfully obtained through this four-steps synthesis, opening the possibility to further developments for the synthesis of polyurethanes starting from catechin and condensed tannins. Graphical Abstract Feasibility Study of the Synthesis of Isocyanate-Free Polyurethanes from Catechin