Renewable epoxy networks by photoinitiated copolymerization of poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s and isosorbide derivatives

New biodegradable epoxy networks derived from poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate)s and isosorbide were synthesized by photoinitiated cationic ring opening polymerization in the presence of diaryl iodonium salt (I 250). Bis-epoxidized terminated PHA oligomers, PHA-diepoxy, were first prepared in three steps, microwave assisted alcoholysis in the presence of ethylene glycol, condensation with allyl isocyanate and epoxidation of alkene terminal groups. Moreover, isosorbide diglycidyl ether (DGEDAS) was prepared by epoxidation of allylic derivative. The photoinitiated polymerization is a straightforward way applied at room temperature in a very short reaction time (i.e. 300 s) to obtain renewable crosslinked networks that remain partially biodegradable by lipase. Higher degradability was observed by increasing the content of PHA.