From Petrochemical Polyurethanes to Biobased Polyhydroxyurethanes

From a green and sustainable chemistry standpoint, the current challenge in the polyurethane’s industry is to switch from petrobased polyurethanes (PUs) to biobased polyhydroxyurethanes (PHUs). This review describes the main alternative strategies being developed with a focus on PHUs from vegetable oils and derivatives. The substitution of petrobased polyols by natural oil based polyols was the first route to biobased PUs to be developed. The second strategy involves synthesis without the need of harmful isocyanate by the nucleophilic polyaddition of polyamines to polycyclic carbonates. The technological barrier to the synthesis of biobased cyclic carbonates could be overcome by the chemical transformation of epoxidized vegetable oils or by the use of glycerine carbonate-based intermediates. New families of biobased PHUs with a lower environmental footprint could be generated.