Lignin-Based Materials Through Thiol-Maleimide "Click" Polymerization

Advancement of lignin into bioactive compounds through selective organic synthesis methods

The conversion of lignin into bioactive compounds through selective organic synthesis methods represents a promising frontier in the pursuit of sustainable raw materials and green chemistry. This review explores the versatility of lignin-derived bioactive compounds, ranging from their application in drug discovery to their role in the development of biodegradable materials. Despite notable advancements, the synthesis routes and yields of highly bioactive molecules from lignin still require further exploration and improvement. This review provides an in-depth examination of the progress made in understanding the complex structure of lignin and developing innovative approaches to exploit its potential. Specifically, the types of lignins covered include softwood Kraft lignin, hardwood organosolv lignin, and soda lignin. This work is divided into three parts: first, the transformation of lignin into bioactive molecules with chemically active centres and functionalised hydroxyl groups through depolymerisation; second, kinetic modelling techniques essential for understanding the chemical kinetics of lignin and enabling significant scaling up in the conversion of organic molecules; third, efficient catalytic pathways for synthesising molecules with anticancer and antibacterial properties. In conclusion, this comprehensive review spurs further investigations into lignin-derived bioactive compounds, their applications, and the advancement of sustainable processes.

Access to 3-Aminomethylated Maleimides via a Phosphine-Catalyzed Aza-Morita-Baylis-Hillman Type Coupling

A designed method for the preparation of 3-aminomethylated maleimides via Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction was developed. This phosphine-catalyzed coupling adopted maleimides and 1,3,5-triazinanes as the substrate, giving a series of 3-aminomethylated maleimide derivatives with a double bond retained on the maleimide ring in 41-90% yield. Acylation, isomerization, and Michael addition of the obtained products demonstrated the synthetic application of the present protocol. The results of control experiments indicated that phosphorus ylide formation and elimination take place during the reaction pathway.

Alginate as a Promising Biopolymer in Drug Delivery and Wound Healing: A Review of the State-of-the-Art

Biopolymeric nanoparticulate systems hold favorable carrier properties for active delivery. The enhancement in the research interest in alginate formulations in biomedical and pharmaceutical research, owing to its biodegradable, biocompatible, and bioadhesive characteristics, reiterates its future use as an efficient drug delivery matrix. Alginates, obtained from natural sources, are the colloidal polysaccharide group, which are water-soluble, non-toxic, and non-irritant. These are linear copolymeric blocks of α-(1→4)-linked l-guluronic acid (G) and β-(1→4)-linked d-mannuronic acid (M) residues. Owing to the monosaccharide sequencing and the enzymatically governed reactions, alginates are well-known as an essential bio-polymer group for multifarious biomedical implementations. Additionally, alginate’s bio-adhesive property makes it significant in the pharmaceutical industry. Alginate has shown immense potential in wound healing and drug delivery applications to date because its gel-forming ability maintains the structural resemblance to the extracellular matrices in tissues and can be altered to perform numerous crucial functions. The initial section of this review will deliver a perception of the extraction source and alginate’s remarkable properties. Furthermore, we have aspired to discuss the current literature on alginate utilization as a biopolymeric carrier for drug delivery through numerous administration routes. Finally, the latest investigations on alginate composite utilization in wound healing are addressed.

Double-Interpenetrating-Network Lignin-based Epoxy Resin Adhesives for Resistance to Extreme Environment

The gradually depleting fossil resources and the biosafety of bisphenol A have always restricted the green development of the traditional epoxy resin field. In this Article, biomass macromolecule lignin sulfonates are selected as the raw material instead of traditional bisphenol A to prepare lignin-based epoxy resin adhesives. Lignin sulfonates are chemically modified and combined with a cross-linking agent to form lignin-based epoxy resin adhesives with double-interpenetrating-network structures. The resulting lignin-based epoxy adhesive exhibits a maximum tensile shear strength of 11.29 MPa, which is 213% higher than the strength before chemical modification. The tensile shear strength of the adhesive is still 10.13 MPa after 12 h of immersion in water (20 °C), and its tensile shear strength is 9.30 MPa after 12 h of immersion in boiling water (100 °C). The high-temperature and high-humidity environment has no significant effect on the properties of the resulting lignin-based epoxy adhesive.

The Influence of Compatibility on the Structure and Properties of PLA/Lignin Biocomposites by Chemical Modification

Lignin, a natural amorphous three-dimensional aromatic polymer, is investigated as an appropriate filler for biocomposites. The chemical modification of firsthand lignin is an effective pathway to accomplish acetoacetate functional groups replacing polar hydroxyl (–OH) groups, which capacitates lignin to possess better miscibility with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), compared with acidified lignin (Ac-lignin) and butyric lignin (By-lignin), for the sake of blending with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) to constitute a new biopolymer based composites. Generally speaking, the characterization of all PLA composites has been performed taking advantage of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic Mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), rheological analysis, and tensile test. Visibly, it is significant to highlight that the existence of acetoacetate functional groups enhances the miscibility, interfacial compatibility, and interface interaction between acetoacetate lignin (At-lignin) and PLA. Identical conclusions were obtained in this study where PLA/At-lignin biocomposites furthest maintain the tensile strength of pure PLA.

Hydrophobilization of Furan-Containing Polyurethanes via Diels-Alder Reaction with Fatty Maleimides

We describe new hydrophobic functionalized linear polyurethane resins by combining N-alkyl maleimides via the Diels–Alder reaction with linear furan-modified polyurethanes. This procedure provides the opportunity for the post-polymerization-functionalizing of polyurethanes. Access to furan-bearing polyurethanes is achieved via the reaction of a furan-containing diol, polyethylenglycol (PEG), and different diisocyanates. The furan-containing diol is obtained from the reaction of furfurylamine and two equivalents of hydroxyalkyl acrylate. The resulting furan-bearing polyurethanes are reacted with fatty amine-based N-alkyl maleimides. The maleimide and furan functionalities undergo a Diels–Alder reaction, which allows for the covalent bonding of the hydrophobic side chains to the polyurethane backbone. The covalent bonding of the hydrophobic maleimides to the polyurethane backbone is proven by means of NMR. The influence of the functionalization on the surface properties of the resulting polyurethane films is analyzed via the determination of surface energy via the sessile drop method.

Lignin Biopolymers in the Age of Controlled Polymerization

Polymers made from natural biomass are gaining interest due to the rising environmental concerns and depletion of petrochemical resources. Lignin isolated from lignocellulosic biomass is the second most abundant natural polymer next to cellulose. The paper pulp process produces industrial lignin as a byproduct that is mostly used for energy and has less significant utility in materials applications. High abundance, rich chemical functionalities, CO2 neutrality, reinforcing properties, antioxidant and UV blocking abilities, as well as environmental friendliness, make lignin an interesting substrate for materials and chemical development. However, poor processability, low reactivity, and intrinsic structural heterogeneity limit lignins' polymeric applications in high-performance advanced materials. With the advent of controlled polymerization methods such as ATRP, RAFT, and ADMET, there has been a great interest in academia and industry to make value-added polymeric materials from lignin. This review focuses on recent investigations that utilize controlled polymerization methods to generate novel lignin-based polymeric materials. Polymers developed from lignin-based monomers, various polymer grafting technologies, copolymer properties, and their applications are discussed.

Synthesis and behavior of click cross-linked alginate hydrogels: Effect of cross-linker length and functionality

Various bismaleimides and trismaleimides of varying molar masses, chemical architectures and functionalities were explored as cross-linkers for furan-modified alginate chains via Diels-Alder click reactions. An environmentally friendly approach is described for the preparation of hydrogels based on naturally occurring biomacromolecules, without catalysts. The behavior of the resulting polysaccharides-based hydrogels was analyzed in terms of swelling, rheological properties and drug-release efficiency, in connection with potential biomedical applications. The use of the different cross-linkers allows tuning the mechanical properties as well as the pulsatile swelling behavior of the hydrogels. When using trifunctional cross-linkers stiffer hydrogels were formed with high storage modulus whereas the chain length and the composition of the cross-linker clearly influence the swelling of the hydrogel network. In connection with drug delivery applications, release of vanillin as a traceable aromatic biobased model drug was also monitored as a function of hydrogel composition. To the best of our knowledge, for the first-time furan-modified alginates were reacted and studied with polyethylene glycol-based bis or trismaleimides with different molar masses and architectures, resulting in advanced hydrogels with different behavior.

Clicking Biobased Polyphenols: A Sustainable Platform for Aromatic Polymeric Materials

Lignin, tannins, and cashew nut shell liquid are considered the main sources of aromatic-based macromolecules. They represent an abundant alternative feedstock for the elaboration of aromatic chemicals and polymers, with a view to replacing some fossil-based fractions. Located in different tissues of plants, these compounds, with a large diversity and structural complexity, have, to date, been considered as byproducts derived from fractionation-separation industrial processes with low added value. In the last decade, the use of click chemistry as a tool for the synthesis of controlled macromolecular architectures has seen much development in fundamental and applied research for a wide range of applications. It could represent a valid solution to overcome the main limitations encountered in the chemical modification of natural sources of chemicals, with an environmentally friendly approach to create new substrates for the development of innovative polymers and materials. After a brief description of the main aromatic biopolymers, including the main extraction techniques, along with their structure and their properties, this Review describes chemical modifications that have mainly been focused on natural polyphenols, with the aim of introducing clickable groups, and their further use for the synthesis of biobased materials and additives. Special emphasis is given to several as-yet unexplored chemical features that could contribute to further fundamental and applied materials science research.

Synthesis and evaluation of functional alginate hydrogels based on click chemistry for drug delivery applications

Environment-sensitive alginate-based hydrogels for drug delivery applications are receiving increasing attention. However, most work in this field involves traditional cross-linking strategies which led to hydrogels with poor long-term stability. Herein, a series of chemically cross-linked alginate hydrogels was synthesized via click chemistry using Diels-Alder reaction by reacting furan-modified alginate and bifunctional cross-linkers. Alginate was successfully functionalized with furfurylamine. Then, 3D architectures were synthesized with water-soluble bismaleimides. Different substitution degrees were achieved in order to study the effect of alginate modification and the cross-linking extent over the behaviour of the hydrogels. The ensuing hydrogels were analysed in terms of microstructure, swelling, structure modification and rheological behaviour. The materials response to external stimuli such as pH was also investigated, revealing a pulsatile behaviour in a large pH range (1-13) and a clear pH-dependent swelling. Finally, vanillin release studies were conducted to demonstrate the potential of these biobased materials for drug delivery applications.

Solvent- and Halogen-Free Modification of Biobased Polyphenols to Introduce Vinyl Groups: Versatile Aromatic Building Blocks for Polymer Synthesis

Various biobased polyphenols (lignins and condensed tannins) were derivatized with vinyl ethylene carbonate, a functional cyclic carbonate, to obtain multifunctional aromatic polymers bearing vinyl groups. The reaction was optimized on a condensed tannin and soda lignin. In both cases, full conversion of the phenol groups was achieved in only 1 h at 150 °C without solvent and with K₂ CO₃ as a cheap and safe catalyst. This reaction was later applied to other condensed tannins and technical lignins (Kraft and organosolv), showing only little dependence on the chemical structure of the polyphenols. The obtained derivatives were thoroughly characterized by ¹ H and ³¹ P NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, and size-exclusion chromatography. The developed method was compared with previously published protocols for the introduction of vinyl groups on lignin, and shows promising advances toward the modification of biobased polyphenols according to green chemistry principles. The obtained macromolecules show great potential as highly versatile biobased aromatic building blocks for the synthesis of polymers through, for example, radical, metathesis, or thiol-ene reactions.