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. 2024 Feb 20;17(5):981.
doi: 10.3390/ma17050981.

New Biodegradable Copolymers Based on Betulin and Hydroxycarboxylic Acid Derivatives

Alexey Zinovyev  1 , Alina Gorbunova  1 , Anna Chernova  2 , Sónia A C Carabineiro  3 , Ekaterina Poletykina  1 , Anastasia Bugaeva  2 , Viktor Novikov  1 , Ekaterina Kolobova  1 , Alexey Pestryakov  1
Affiliations

New Biodegradable Copolymers Based on Betulin and Hydroxycarboxylic Acid Derivatives

Alexey Zinovyev et al. Materials (Basel). .

Abstract

In this study, we propose an approach to the synthesis of new biodegradable polymer materials based on renewable raw feedstock (betulin) and derivatives of hydroxycarboxylic acids using a catalyst/catalytic system (γ-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3/TBHP) that is safe for health and the environment. The resulting polymers are linear thermoplastic polymers that undergo collapse upon melting in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. Moreover, these polymers demonstrate non-toxicity towards a range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The polycondensation of betulin with butyl lactate is particularly noteworthy.

Keywords: ROP; betulin; biodegradable polymers; polycondensation; renewable raw materials.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The structure of betulin.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Polycondensation of betulin with AA.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Polycondensation of betulin with LA.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Polycondensation of betulin with GA.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Formation of betulin copolymer with Lac.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Formation of betulin copolymer with Glc.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Polycondensation of betulin with BL.
Figure 8
Figure 8
GPC chromatograms of the obtained polymers.
Figure 9
Figure 9
1H NMR spectra of copolymer based on betulin and adipic acid.
Figure 10
Figure 10
1H NMR spectra of copolymer based on betulin and lactide.
Figure 11
Figure 11
1H NMR spectra of copolymer based on betulin and glycolide.
Figure 12
Figure 12
1H NMR spectra of copolymer based on betulin and butyl lactate.
Figure 13
Figure 13
DSC (a) and TG (b) profiles of the obtained polymers.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Results of a disk diffusion test for the toxicity of polymer samples to bacteria: (a) S. aureus; (b) E. coli; (c) S. epidermidis after 48 h of cultivation.
Figure 15
Figure 15
Results of the toxicity of polymer samples to L. plantarum after 72 h of cultivation.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Increase in bacterial biomass of L. plantarum during 34 h of cultivation.
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