Synthesis, characterization and photocross-linking of copolymers of furan and aliphatic hydroxyethylesters prepared by transesterification

Mild experimental conditions were applied to the synthesis of furan-aliphatic photoreactive copolymers by bulk transesterification, which called upon potassium carbonate as the catalyst, reaction times of about 30 h and temperatures ranging from 95 to 120 °C. The ensuing copolymers contained 3-10% of furan photoreactive monomer units, which absorbed at 308 nm, and had molecular weights of about 8000. They were semi-crystalline materials with glass transition temperatures of −51 to −62 °C and were stable up to 225 °C. The irradiation in the near-UV of concentrated solutions or thin films of these copolymers resulted in their cross-linking and suggested their possible use as photoresists, particularly in offset printing plates.