Green chemistry method of synthesizing polymer structures that can function as a built-in antioxidant

Abstract

A method of making a solid composition by reacting a tetrazine component and a polymer component through an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction (IEDDA). The solid composition formed by the Diels-Alder reaction is in the form of either a foam or a powder depending on the functional groups of the tetrazine component. The polymer component can be various substituted polybutadienes, mixtures of stereoisomeric polydienes, and polybutadiene copolymers. The gas produced during the reaction is nitrogen, hence, the solid composition can be considered a greener material than polyurethanes, which involves carbon monoxide release during the course of the reaction. The aromatized polymer can act as a built in anti-oxidant with up to two hydrogen atom equivalents per dihydropyridazine group. The polymers of dihydropyridazines are converted to polymeric pyridazine groups by aromatization and the aromatic polymer becomes more stable.